The Lion King II : Civil War In The Pridelands
by TanC
Summary: Having finally restored the Pridelands to their orignal glory, Simba realises an old enemy is creating tension within his own pride. But how will he deal with it? All done, nice and long - enjoy!
1. My Task

This story is written in the first person, entirely from Simba's point of view, and takes place directly after the events of The Lion King (it ignores TLK II and happens before the new cub is born as well).  Ideas were influenced by other fan fictions as well as the film.  Thanks to them for the inspiration ;)  Disney own all the characters by the way, in case you didn't know.  Reading and reviewing would be much appreciated!

Civil War

My name is Simba.  My life has been a long, hard slog for acceptance and fulfilment of my pride's expectations.  To say my early life was tough would be an understatement.  My evil uncle Scar effectively exiled me out of the Pridelands and killed my father in order to gain power.  For years, I was an outcast, until my childhood friend and future Queen Nala came to me and convinced me to return and challenge my evil uncle for his place as King.  With great effort, I reclaimed the throne, and Scar's allies, the hyenas, turned on him and ripped him to shreds.  Exiling them back to the elephant graveyard, I then had to restore the Pridelands to their former glory, after Scar had left them to rot and die.  If I'd thought my early life was tough, it was nothing compared to my quest for acceptance within the pride, and to bring peace back to these once great lands.

The Lion King II – Civil War In The Pridelands

"We'll always be together, right Dad?"

"Just remember, my son.  The great Kings of the past will always be there to guide you, and so will I…"

I watched as my father fell backwards into the flying stampede, willing everything to stop, willing time to turn backwards so I could stop all the events.  But time was cruel, and he fell, fell through, beyond vision…

I awoke with a start.  My dreams and visions had been considerably worse these last few days, and though I knew I was not held responsible for the death of my father, somehow the years of guilt that had built up inside me were proving difficult to rid.  I didn't seem able to get over it, despite my pretence a few days earlier when challenging Scar, and I didn't want the lionesses to feel my weakness.  What would they think if they knew their King was weak in the head?  I wanted to aspire to the heights of my father's reign.  How was I going to do that if the lionesses had no confidence in me?

            I looked over at my beautiful Nala with a stifled yawn.  She was sleeping soundly and contentedly.  Her radiant beauty couldn't help but make me smile, and suddenly I felt proud and confident that with such a beautiful partner, I could make it through my problems.  But she didn't know my problems, and how could I tell her?  Sighing, I rose, and headed out of the cave and out into the fresh early morning air of the Pridelands.  The sun had not yet risen, but I headed to the top of Pride Rock, to the spot where my father had taken me to show the kingdom all those years ago.

            The whole land seemed bathed in a kind of eerie shadow, like the sort I had always associated with the elephant graveyard in my youth.  I looked towards the graveyard and suppressed a shudder.  The last time I'd been there, I had had to rely on my father to bail me out, having stupidly led myself and Nala into danger which finished being cornered by three filthy hyenas...

            I looked up at the sky, where the stars twinkled in all their glory.  Somehow, just looking at them, made me feel closer to my father, and gave me a renewed hope for the future.  Lost in my thoughts, I failed to notice another figure creeping up behind me.  It came and sat with me, following my gaze upwards to the sky, and murmured a sympathetic purr.  Nala pushed her head up against mine and rested, seemingly trying to comfort me.

"I really miss him Nala," I admitted, turning my head in her direction.

"Yeah, I know," she replied sympathetically, "and so you should.  You always will, but that's nothing to be ashamed of."

"I dreamt about him again just now…"

"I know, you talk in your sleep," she said, moving her head away and smiling at me with her usual knowing look.  I couldn't help smiling back.  There was something about her presence which gave me a pleasure I couldn't remember feeling with anyone else.

"How am I gonna bring the Pridelands back Nala?  I still need my father to guide me, I was never taught how, what hope do I have?"

"Hey, like you always told me, he'll always be there to guide you," she paused,

"a-and I know it's no consolation, but I'll always be here for you as well, not that I'm any substitute for Mufasa," she finished sheepishly.

Her calming and supportive words had a huge effect on me, and I purred, and leaned my head towards her, "You'll always be just as good to me."

And without another word, we headed back down Pride Rock, sticking close together, wishing for our tender moment to last forever.  We settled back down in the cave amongst the other lionesses, and slept until morning.


	2. Morning Report

When I awoke, we were the only two remaining in the cave, and Nala was lying on her side, staring at me, her striking green eyes filled with a soft love.

"Should we be getting up now?" I asked her, thinking the other lionesses would probably not be too pleased if I was lazing about while they were about working.

Nala laughed and said "You worry too much!".

It was true, I did.  But who could blame me for being neurotic after what I'd dealt with?  With a long stretch and a yawn, I rose and walked out into the bright sunlight.  Zazu flew from above down to meet me.  "Good morning sire, ready for the morning report?"

Of all things, this was one thing I was certainly not ready for.  It had certain connotations of Zazu droning on and on, whilst I found entertainment in other ways, usually involving pouncing games.  Even my father had told me he couldn't stand Zazu's morning report when he got going!

"Erm, yes – Zazu, just give me a minute."

Nala appeared from the mouth of the cave, and gave me a knowing wink.  It was alright for her, she could get away without listening!

"Why don't you patrol the Pridelands, Simba? Then Zazu can give you the report whilst your on patrol," she said.  I could have kissed her, now I had something to take my mind off Zazu and his voice!

Minutes later, and Zazu and I were off, heading for the eastern border.  The morning air rippled my mane and I enjoyed the feeling as I headed across the savannah to the border.  Zazu's constant drone fleeted in and out of my consciousness…

"…herd of zebra…rains on their way…herds coming back to the Pridelands."

From what I gathered, things were looking up, and my reign as King was seemingly going fine.  As I reached the border however, and looked across, my eye caught a small pride of lions sunbathing under a tree.  Something about their manner gave me the impression they meant trouble.

            Zazu, however, didn't seem to notice.  Even when the male lion in their group clouted one of the lionesses round the ears with a sweep of his paw, he ploughed on regardless.  I felt compelled to rush across and defend her, but thought better of it.  Lions don't take kindly to invasions from other lands, and getting involved in matters of another pride didn't seem a wise move at the present time.  Suddenly, I became acutely aware that the lioness who had been hit round the head was staring past the male and straight at me.  I couldn't tell if her look was one of deepest loathing, or pleading.  At any rate, I decided it a wise move to carry on round the border and ignore what I'd seen.  But somehow I didn't think I'd seen the last of this lioness.

I voiced my concerns from Zazu in one of his rare breaks from speaking, yet he seemed strangely unbothered, "Oh, I shouldn't worry sire, the River Pride are always having inward scuffles.  The Pridelanders very rarely trouble themselves with those lot.  We have an _image_ to keep up, you know!"  I couldn't help but smile.  I could also see why Zazu had been my father's most trusted advisor – something about the way he said things made you believe it without question.  Now that was something I'd never appreciated as a cub!

As we carried on the patrol round to the Southern border, with me entertaining Zazu with a story of my time in the jungle, I began to notice and recognise places and objects from my childhood.  Seeing them again made me feel young and exciteable again, and I began to wistfully wish for Nala to be here with me so we could continue some of our old games.  Slowly, yet surely we came to an overhanging rock.

"Ah, er, sire, I'm, er – not sure we should be h…" began Zazu.

"Shh Zazu," I replied.  I knew we were just within the boundaries of the Pridelands, and what I was seeing was stirring up more than just a giddy cubbish memory.  As I reached the edge of the overhang, I understood.  Far below me, was a gorge.  _That_ gorge.


	3. The Gorge

Zazu looked at me uneasily, and rather unhelpfully continued suggesting that we return to Pride Rock, and that he was sure he could see the lionesses returning with a zebra. But I was not to be deterred. "Don't you see Zazu? I need to do this. It's been burning inside me for years. And even if I wasn't directly responsible," my throat clenched, "I was still involved, I saw it happen."

He looked at me fearfully, and nodded in solemn agreement. "I'll leave you to it," he said regally and professionally, and flew off in the direction of Pride Rock.

Slowly but surely, I set my way down the side of the gorge, carefully picking my way down the dusty rock. The setting seemed just as I remembered it all those years ago. In my head I could hear pounding hooves behind me. Running forwards, I replayed the events of that day, seeing my father save me, growling and roaring in agony. And then, from my place at the bottom of the gorge, I saw him hanging by his claws on a steep rock. Scar stood above him, and I watched, horror-stuck again, as I saw him bend closer to help and then thrust him downwards, to the spot where his life finished…

Tears flowing freely down my face, I slowly walked on through the gorge, noticing the tree stump and fallen bough I had clung on to all those years ago. A lump in my throat, I continued toward my father's final resting place. Lost in my own thoughts, I sat back on my haunches at the spot, not taking in my surroundings in the slightest. Again, in my daydream, I failed to notice Nala creeping up beside me once again.

Then she did something I could only remember her doing once before. Nuzzling against my head, she licked away my tears affectionately and rested her head on my neck. Her shallow, calm breathing soothed me, and gradually brought me back to reality. Something about her licking gave me a greater pleasure than any other thing she did. The fact that she did it so infrequently made it all the more special. Doing the only thing that made sense, I licked her back, on her left cheek. Clearly, she understood, and we remained together, in silence nuzzling together while I collected my thoughts.

My attention turned to the spot in front, where I had come to mourn. Whilst the body of my father had obviously rotted away after the years, I was given a further jolt of surprise as I realised that we had reached the only spot in the Pridelands that showed any sign of life. Where his body had once lain, blades of grass were bending in the wind, whispering between them. Nala had noticed it too. "Just like my father always said," I explained, "when we die, our bodies become the grass, and the circle of life is completed."

And so it had proved! Whilst the rest of the Pridelands was floundering, here, my fathers body had remained to fertilise the ground for good whilst his soul was in the stars. Seeing this, my heart was filled with a new-found optimism that I was indeed the one who could lead the Pride and the Pridelands onto greater things. I had belief, now I needed the pride's support and we could start going places!

"This is the most excited I've seen you since you were a cub," said Nala, nudging me in the ribs.

"Oh yeah?" I retorted, "well, if that's the case..."

I attempted to pin her, just as I had as a cub so often, but it seemed I still hadn't improved enough... As was custom, she flipped me over and pinned me, laughing. Never mind, eh? We can't have everything at all times. Still, myself and Nala walked back to Pride Rock together, I slightly happier than I had been just a few hours earlier.


	4. First Blood

As we approached the rock, nothing seemed different to usual.  We rose up the sides, and headed towards the cave, where we expected to find the other lionesses bathing in the evening sunlight.  The sight that met our eyes was a good deal graver.  There, lying wounded was a lioness.  Not only that, but it was one of my mother's great friends, Yaya.  As I rose above the overhang and came into clear view, some of the lionesses began to meet my eyes.  I walked right up to my mother, "What happened?"  I asked.

"Just a simple hunting error," she sobbed, "she was chasing a wildebeest, and without realising, chased it into the Riverlands."

I gasped, realising I must have been over there that very same time with Zazu.  Speaking of Zazu, where was he?

My mother continued. "Well, before she realised where she was, and had time to return, she had been surrounded by the river pride, and..."

I could tell that whatever she had to say would cause greater pain, and didn't want to put her through it.  I quietly nodded to show I understood, and comforted her with a quick nuzzle of my head.  She sobbed freely.

"Is Yaya..." I began.

"No, son, not yet.  We managed to fend the River Pride off for long enough to get her back into the Pridelands.  But she was badly wounded, I don't think she'll make it," she whispered to me privately.

I walked over to Yaya's still body.  The same lioness who had comforted me as a cub lay there, a mass of congealed blood and a sorry looking face.  The sight made me feel glum, when a few minutes previously I'd been so hopeful and positive.   Yaya looked up at me and forced a smile.  "Hello, my little prince," she croaked, "You know I taught you to be a great and strong fellow for when you grew up?"

I nodded, bending towards her and trying to clean some of the blood off her once beautiful golden coat.

"I think now might be one of the times when you have to show that bravery," she said, "Give my love to the rest of the Pride."

And with that, she lay her head down, and breathed her last.

A shocked silence fell upon the Pride, as we gazed sorrowfully down at the limp, lifeless body.  With a shudder, I realised I was responsible for the next move.  I called over one of the younger lionesses who I didn't recognise, "My dear, what is your name," I asked.

"Mtifu," she replied.

"I want you to go to the great baobab tree, and fetch Rafiki.  Yaya will need the proper funeral rites."

Mtifu obediently left Pride Rock in the direction of the great tree, and I turned to the rest of the pride and announced that everyone should spend their evening reflecting on Yaya's death.  It also occurred to me that I needed a full story of what had happened on the Eastern border, so I called together a small group of the lionesses to discuss it.  After what Zazu had told me earlier about the River Pride, I called for him too.

"ZAZU!!"

From overhead, I saw a figure gliding down towards me.  It answered, "Yes, Sire?  Oh, I am terribly, terribly sorry about Yaya, I didn't know what to do.  Oh dear, yes, oh dear.  It's all my fault, yes, I'm to blame I know it.  I should have been there to..."

"Zazu, please quieten down.  Nobody's blaming you," I said.

"Oh, well –er, that's good then.  I'll be off then, shall I?" he said anxiously, hopping from one foot to the other.

"No, there's something I want to ask you," I began.  "About the river pride."

"Oh yes, sire.  I know all about the history of them, any question you like, oh certainly."

"When we were out and about, you told me they keep themselves to themselves, didn't bother us," I explained, "but it seems they have bothered us.  Significantly".

Zazu sighed.  "I'm afraid this may have to be rather a long lesson in history Sire."

There were a few groans from the surrounding lionesses, but I shushed them with a growl.  "This is important," I told them.


	5. History Lesson

Zazu sighed.  "I'm afraid this may have to be rather a long lesson in history Sire."

There were a few groans from the surrounding lionesses, but I shushed them with a growl.  "This is important," I told them.

And so Zazu began.  "Well, Sire.  As I said, the Pridelanders and the River Pride generally keep their distance.  In the long and distant past, there was something of a strong dislike between them.  In those days, the River Pride resented the Pridelanders, and the way they took the savannah as their lands, and left their pride to live upon the much less productive and attractive river lands.  When the rains came every year, the Riverlands became next to useless when they flooded, and they struggled immensely for food.  So much so, that they had to take to stealing in across the Pridelands and attacking the herds within them."

"But what's wrong with that?" said Atala, one of the lionesses who was listening, "If they were so short of food, what King would deny them when the Pridelands are so plentiful?"

"Ah, you see, my dear Atala," continued Zazu, "there was a rivalry.  The King of the Pridelands, Hiliki had banished many members of his pride only months before for their continuing disloyalty to him and their lands.  These members joined the River Pride, and the rivalry that had existed only intensified.  Hiliki would never allow those he had exiled to feast upon his herds."

"HIS herds?!" exclaimed Nala, "No King can claim that!  It's against the circle of life.  And what had the exiles done to deserve their treatment?"

Zazu hesitated a little, eyes fixated on Nala before continuing, "They had cubs.  The fathers were from the River Pride, and Hiliki saw this as extreme disloyalty."

"But there had to be fathers from elsewhere? Surely?!"

"Oh certainly, Hiliki was perfectly happy for rogues to be fathers of Prideland cubs.  But he held something against the River Pride that he never fully explained.  He seemed to dislike them with a passion.  He cared more about keeping them out of the Pridelands than making sure the Pridelands themselves were pure and plentiful as they were meant to be.  As a result, the Pridelands diminished and he sparked off a war with the River Pride that was bitter and bloody.  It lasted many generations.  Until..."

"Yes?" I asked, eager to hear the rest of this interesting history lesson.  My father had only ever taught me about the great Kings, but never Hiliki.  I had a vague recollection of my uncle Scar mentioning his name, but I never paid much attention to his lectures as a cub.  I'd always had too many from my mum and dad.

"Until your grandfather, Ahadi, put a stop to it," Zazu explained.  "He realised that the ridiculous rivalry was for the worse, and vowed to right any wrongs and make peace.  But not all quarters of his pride were happy.  They were not convinced that peace was possible.  Equally, members of the river pride doubted any truce could ever be made between the two, such had been the ferocity of the wars and rivalry between the two in the past."

"However, the King of the River Pride was as eager as Ahadi to bring peace.  They made an agreement.  That all fighting should stop.  And that the two prides should try and get on peacefully in tandem."

"And did it work?" I asked eagerly, feeling somewhat proud that my Grandfather was such an important figure in the shaping of the Pridelands I knew and loved.

"Well, to an extent.  Antagonism remained between the two prides, and relations were strained.  Ahadi had allowed the River Pride's boundaries to be extended, allowing part of the old Pridelands to become River Pride territory.  But woe betide anyone who overstepped the boundaries.  Such a sacrifice was no mean feat for the great Ahadi to make, and it was not greatly received throughout the Pride, as I have said.  As a token of their appreciation, the River Pride sent their princess to live with Ahadi and his pride.  She was so young at the time that she knew nothing of it, but lionesses from both sides were displeased.  The River Pride were disgusted that their future monarch could be given away so easily, even when the King explained that it was for the pride's greater good in the long term.  For their part, many lionesses in Ahadi's Pride were equally as disgusted, and left altogether.  Some became simple rogues, other more radical ones even joined other prides, and one or two even had the audacity to join the River Pride itself."

Zazu ploughed on.  He had been talking for a long while, but I knew him well enough to realise that he loved all the attention he got, and loved talking almost as much as well.  I looked around the other lionesses.  Some of the older ones were nodding, as if they knew this story well.  Others, including Nala were staring, mouths open, transfixed at this tale.   My mind turned back to listening.

"It seemed that all Ahadi's good work could be undone and the war between the two could start again.  But common sense prevailed, and they went back to being silent enemies.  Neither were spoken of within the other, and the boundaries were guarded vigilantly against any intruders.  And so it continued into Mufasa's, and even the beginning of Scar's reign, whilst the River Pride princess grew up under Ahadi, alongside the other cubs Mufasa, Scar, Sarabi and Sarafina.  A generation of five cubs meaning the Pride was growing ever stronger, despite the abandoners."

"And who was this princess?" asked Luvani.

I felt I already knew the answer.

"Haven't you worked it out?" said Zazu, "the River Priders had vowed to kill her if she ever came near the Southern border again.  For some silly reason, they held a grudge against her, despite it being her who had gained them such an improved land for hunting and letting herds graze.  And today their vow was carried out, passed on from them to the next generation.  They killed their true Queen and our dear friend Yaya.  She had crossed the border into the Riverlands."

A shocked silence hung over the group, and even Zazu looked slightly jaded and upset as he considered the death of the oldest member of our pride.  So some silly grudge had led to this?  And the worst of it was surely that I was expected to deal with it.  How would I manage when a King as great as my Grandfather Ahadi had failed?

At that moment, Mtifu returned with the baboon Rafiki.  He gave me a knowing nod, and asked for Yaya's body to be carried to the foot of Pride Rock.  Gathered around it, we watched and listened in glum silence as Rafiki performed the final rites and committed Yaya's spirit to the heavens.

       "Halala humba heh heh heya heeyahee

        Halala humba hela hela hela

        Halala humba heh heh heya heeyahee

        Halala humba hela hela hela"

Nala stood next to me, silently weeping.  "Horrible, just like when we thought you'd died," she said.

_This is all for the moment, I'm still in the process of writing.  It'd be appreciated if you'd let me know what you think though.  Please?!_


	6. Chance Meetings

As night approached, the rain clouds began to slowly appear above us once more.  If it meant that the dry Pridelands soil could be drenched once more and allow things to grow again, then that brought joy.  But  somehow I couldn't get it out of my head that the rains meant the River Pride would be forced to live upon the old Pridelands that my grandfather had given them so graciously.  Maybe now our gift of the Princess had been taken from us so cruelly, perhaps I could do the same to them?

I dismissed the thought, chiding myself for being so selfish.  If I did that, it would only lead to more scuffles as the Riverlanders would be forced to venture over the borders into our lands again.  The dark and bloody history of my lands and the Riverlands had finally been established, and all the while I knew that both members of our pride and members of theirs would be waiting for my reaction.  It was more than I could bear.  I needed to seek counsel.

I rose gingerly, unwatched by any of the lionesses save Nala who had been lying at my side.  She rose to follow but I shook my head and she relented, understanding.  Out of the cave I went and into the blackness of the night.  Being cloudy, I found it something of a struggle to look up at the stars and ask the great Kings of the past for their help.  But then, I reminded myself, that didn't matter. 

"He lives in you."  Rafiki's voice went over and over in my head.

So I had Mufasa's help with everything I thought.  I settled down upon a rock and went over everything in my head.

There was the expectation, and the realisation of all that had happened today.  What the others would be thinking.  How I'd react.  Whether I'd do this, or that?  But the thing bothering me most was the image of the sweet lioness from the River Pride I had seen earlier that day being battered by her own King.  Well, I supposed it was her King.  Somehow I knew, our paths would cross again, but it wouldn't be for the better.

Lost in my thoughts, I failed to notice what would have been two familiar figures making their way clumsily towards me.  Gradually, however, I became aware of a pair of voices coming from behind me.

"Timon, d'you think he knows we're here?"

"Sssshhh! Pumbaa, how you think we're gonna spring a surprise on him if he hears you?"

"I, uh... Yeah, but he looks so... so... thoughtful," Pumbaa decided on the word, "What if he's thinking about something important?"

"HA!" laughed Timon so loudly that it would have brought me out my trance even if I hadn't been already, "that's the stupidest thing I've ever heard, what if.." his voice got lower, "hey, Pumbaa, what if he's thinking about something important? Maybe we 'd best not bother him right now..."

"I – uh..." Pumbaa began.

"C'mon, it can wait. Right?"

I smiled.  Just listening to them helped make all my problems seem that much less important.  I was reminded of Hakuna Matata and laughed inwardly at their indecisiveness about whether or not to 'trick' me.  After all, if they were worried about my reaction, then they weren't listening to their own advice!  As they continued bickering noisily, I slowly turned round to face them.

There, dressed in what looked like a few leaves thrown together to look what looked like was supposed to be a tree, was my old pal Timon sitting on his chum Pumbaa's back.  "Hey fellas," I said.

Timon looked up shocked, "Hey! Simba," he said.  Then realising what he was dressed up in, stumbled on, "I, er – how do you like my new image.  I was getting kinda tired with the whole yellow and brown thing, thought I'd try some nice green.  Hmm, yeah...  Lovely isn't it?"

Pumbaa took over, "Oh yes, green is this years burgundy, don't you know.  We thought we'd try it out.  But, I – er, I'm not sure it's really me."

I laughed.  Not once in three years in the jungle had they ever managed to scare me, and all I had to do was growl and they scarpered like antelope.  But you had to hand it to them, they were still trying.  It was just... green leaves didn't camouflage well in the savannah, particularly before it had regrown and it was night time.

"So, how'd the expedition for grubs go?" I asked.

"Weeell, lets just say I don't like the bugs from the South Western border," said Timon.

"Oh yeah, they had proper defence mechanisms and everything, real scary they were," continued Pumbaa.

"Oh, I bet they were," I laughed sarcastically, "reeeeeal scary, worms are."

Timon looked at me indignantly, hands on hips, "I'll have you know, King Simba, that beetles that fight back are cheaters!"

I laughed again, "whatever!" I said, winking.

"So, anyway King Simba, whatsup?" asked Timon, "come to talk to the bunch of royal dead guys again?  You do that a lot you know..."

Pumbaa looked shocked, "You can't say that Timon!  That's really offensive that is!  Oh dear, your majesty!!   Oh, please, please forgive him!" he pleaded with me.

I was surprised.  "I told you two, nothings changed now I'm King.  You're still my old jungle mates, and you're always welcome here.  And don't worry, I'm not about to banish either of you," I added, noticing Pumbaa's worried expression.

Feeling a whole lot better about myself after this chance meeting with my two old mates, I left them to their bug searching and returned to Pride Rock.  As I neared the mouth of the cave, Nala came bounding out, looking very upset, and headed up to the top just as I had only yesterday.  I briefly toyed with my emotions, wondering whether I should let her have her own free time, just as she had to me only a few short hours ago.

But my love got the better of me, and I bypassed the cave entrance, heading up to the top to see her staring towards the Eastern border.  At the time, that didn't strike me as strange.  I crept up alongside her, and followed her gaze to the horizon.  Now it was dark, it was difficult to see anything at all.  Remembering how I'd felt when she'd licked my face when I was feeling at a low ebb, I did the same to her.  Bending her head and resting it on my shoulders to acknowledge me, she began to hum a mournful tune.

I sat with her for a long time, comforting her, until she felt the need to explain or return to the cave, whichever came first.  From my own experience, I knew that you couldn't push someone to tell you something before they were ready.  Gradually, however, she came round, and said "Zazu's story, that was new to you... wasn't it?"

"Yeah, of course," I replied.

"You didn't know anything of the history between our pride and the River Pride?"

"Not really.  I didn't live here long enough to hear my father tell me that one."

She smiled weakly, "Yeah."

A couple of minutes passed.

"I knew there was rivalry between the two," she explained, "but I never knew how bad.  And now it's just gonna get worse, after... today."

"I – er - expect so," I whispered, wondering where this was going.

"Well, there's something I have to tell you.  But you have to keep it a secret, because only my mother knows apart from me."

I waited expectantly.  She knew I was more loyal to her than anyone else and didn't need my word.

"My – father," she began, "he was... he was a member of the River Pride."

Whatever I had been expecting, that wasn't it.  I was silent for a few seconds.

"My mother, she didn't know.  She thought he was a rogue.  He tricked her."

I still wasn't quite sure what to say.

"She never told anyone, but returned to her pride and kept quiet on the father.  No one ever asked, and she never told anyone.  Except me.  She said I had to keep it quiet and never tell anyone.  That I might be thrown out of the pride."

"You know that'd never happen when I'm King," I said.

"But it might not be down to you.  If the other lionesses find out, they might round me out against your wishes.  They might forgive my mother because she was tricked, but for sure they wouldn't let me stay."

"Even after all this time?" I asked.

"Who knows?" she said.

We sat there again for a few minutes longer, before I spoke up, "Well, if they still don't know, we won't tell them.  It can be our secret, it won't matter."

"But what if it somehow slips out?"

"It won't!" I said confidently, "I won't let it."

She turned to me, smiled, and said "I'm glad you're here Simba".

I was glad too.  The thunder sounded, and the rains began to fall.  We headed together down the slope and back into the cave.


	7. Reminiscing

For the next few weeks, we got on with our lives whilst the rain continued to fall.  Nala and I happily spent our days together, dreaming of the day when the Pridelands would be restored to their former glory.  Everyone had got over Yaya's death, and despite what I felt was a slightly lacking feeling of support from some of the lionesses, we all worked together to ensure a brighter future when the rains finally stopped.  All trouble with the River Pride seemed to have been put to the back of people's minds, and I saw no sign of either the male or the lioness I had seen before when on my daily patrol wit h Zazu.

For his part, Zazu continued to help me greatly with his advice, though at times I felt he went a bit overboard.  I spent a large amount of time with my mother as well, catching up one old times, and telling her all about my life in the jungle after the stampede.  She tut-tutted accordingly in line with some of my silly cubbish adventures with Timon and Pumbaa, and still couldn't get over how I'd lived on bugs for a few months until I'd learned to catch my own small prey.  All in all, though, she seemed very happy to be with me again.

I noticed, however, that my Sarabi's best friend and Nala's mother, Sarafina, became increasingly more worried looking, even when with her closest friends.  I supposed this was to do with Nala's problem, and so it proved, although telling my mother seemed to help her with it, and take the weight off her mind a bit.  All in all, things were looking good, and when the rains had stopped, the Pridelands were beginning to look lusher and greener, and many of the old herds had returned to their old stamping ground.

In the evening sunshine, later, Nala, Sarafina, Sarabi and I were lying in the shade of some acacia trees which we had always met at when we were cubs.  We had an enjoyable time discussing all our old stories.  Sarafina and Sarabi explained to me how they'd behaved when they were cubs, how it was always Sarafina and not Sarabi who would be the better Queen, and how the idea of Mufasa and Sarabi being King and Queen was always seen as ridiculous.  Nala and I gave each other a knowing look at that point.

Then my mother got on to the subject of Scar.  To me, this tyrant was still something of an enigma.  As a child, I'd always looked up to him as my crazy uncle, never once suspecting he had evil intentions.  I was carefree and innocent and would have done whatever he said.  The only person I trusted more had been my father.  But that had been wrong.  He'd sent me away, blaming me for the death of my father and racking me with guilt which it had taken ages for me to get over, even after I'd banished Scar's memory.

"He was always a bit of a recluse when he was a child," explained Sarabi, "but it was definitely true that his father gave the majority of her attention to Mufasa, the first born, regardless of his attempts to keep his attention equal.  I knew, even at the time.  But even when I gave him my sympathy, he threw it in my face.  'Taka doesn't need his brother's fiancé's sympathy' he'd say all the time.  He always had a soft spot for me though.  I knew it, he knew it, and so did the other three.  Often he tried to join in my games, but when it was the five of us together, he'd never speak much.  Just wistfully stare as if he were waiting for something to happen.  I felt rotten, the truth was I just couldn't face him alone, always deathly worried about what he might try and do, what he might be thinking.

Of course, that was wrong.  Any problems he may have had were only worsened by the fact that the only person he ever felt comfortable with never wanted to spend any time with him.  But I was a cub, young and inexperienced.  I couldn't understand the seriousness of my actions, and if I had understood, perhaps things would have been different.  But Taka was never interested in joining our cubbish games, not even when we invited him to join."

"It was true," Sarafina continued, "I never liked him particularly, but I never let him out in the cold.  I tried to be open.  But he didn't want that.  Anything to do with Mufasa he grew to detest, and as time went on, Mufasa and I got closer to Sarabi as her best friend and mate, he got distanced even from her.  He spent hours at a time on his own in his cave which he kept until Mufasa's death.  As far as I know, no one's ever been back there."

"There's one thing I always wondered though," said Nala, "how did he get his scar?"  Sarabi and Sarafina looked at each other.  "Well, that was sort of to do with him and Mufasa as well.  When Scar wouldn't leave poor Sarabi alone, Mufasa got angry, said he should play with everyone or leave her alone.  Well, Scar didn't take too kindly, and despite his measly size, tried to fight him.  Mufasa batted him round the face with his claws and gave him a big cut over his eye.  He felt terrible afterwards.  Mufasa had always tried for poor Taka, no matter how hard it had been, but he'd found it difficult and a struggle.  When Taka made a pass at me, after Mufasa and I had confessed our love, and were set for the future, Mufasa just couldn't take it.  Scar never forgave him, but also never gave him reason to fight him either."

"Just like he always said – 'when it comes to brains, I've got the lions share, but when it comes to brute strength, I'm at the shallow end of the dream pool.'"

And so it was.  Scar hadn't forgiven him, particularly when I was born.  And he never did fight him himself.  He set up a plan, and gained power by any means necessary, in this case he used the hyenas.  In all truth, it was a sad story, and in so many ways I wished that my uncle was in heaven, enjoying whatever had been the best of his life rather than his weak rule as a King.

Speaking of the hyenas, I'd been wondering what to do about them.  They'd been very quiet recently.  I voiced my concerns to the group.  "Oh, I shouldn't worry," laughed Sarafina, "they're probably frightened out of their wits about what you'd do to them if they caused trouble.  They've no alibi now, see?  And they think you have one hell of a grudge against them.  Besides, why worry about them, they're slobbery, mangy stupid poachers," she laughed again, winking.

It seemed the only time Sarafina was ever happy these days was when it was just the four of us.  As we were the only four who knew her secret, she tended to become introverted towards the other lionesses now that the Riverpride were our new worst enemies.  Nala, on the other hand was taking it quite well.  But I had to admit, the remainder of the pride were beginning to worry me.  It was often that they refused to comply with all my requests and seemed to avoid my presence when at all possible.

Sometimes I wondered whether it was the way I asked them, but Nala assured me that I never forced orders on anyone, so it wasn't that.  It also hadn't escaped my attention that it was the older lionesses who gave me the cold shoulder more than the younger ones.  I wondered if this lack of respect was to do with the fact that they still remembered me as a cub, and blamed my reckless actions for their having to live under Scar's rule for so long.  Or perhaps they just didn't trust males anymore?

To all intents and purposes, I had become a bit of a worrier.  Clearly, the pride was not as tightly-knit as it had been under Mufasa, but surely I was exaggerating the problem.  I tended to do that a lot, as Nala and my mother now knew all too well.


	8. Tricky Friends

So it was that one day I was out walking in the savannah on my own, feeling the hot sun on my back, with the vague idea of heading for the waterhole.  Only half way there, lying on his back in the scorching sun, was Timon.  Only I couldn't remember him ever sunbathing in the midday heat, least of all where there were predators all over.  Slightly apprehensively, I walked up to him and peered at him closely.  He gave all the signs of being dehydrated, if not dead.  I pawed him and growled, remembering in the past that growling had always got him up if he was refusing to get up from his morning snoring.  But he lay there, breathing only shallowly.  Even when I rolled him over, his body seemed strangely lifeless.

As time went on, I began to get slightly worried. "Timon?" I asked, "er – are you, er, ok?"  No answer.

"Pumbaa? Are you here?" I called out.  But he was nowhere either.

Beginning to get really worried, I tossed Timon onto my back and headed for the waterhole with him.  When I got there, I lay him on the ground, but still he was lifeless.  I used my paw to splash some water on him, but still he remained.  Peering closely at him, getting towards the hysterical stage, he suddenly jumped up at me and shouted, "BOO!!".

I'm embarrassed to admit that for the first time in his life, he'd got me.  Heart thumping, I turned to see Pumbaa rolling on the floor in stitches, fighting for breath.  "Got 'im!  At last!" he breathed.

"Tee Hee!" laughed Timon, "oh, that felt good!"

In fits of laughter they continued rolling around on the floor whilst I gradually worked out a suitable expression to greet them with when they came round.  I decided on a sarcastic, amused one.  I never found out if I succeeded however, as before they looked at me, they looked at one another and said "Oh gee, we're gonna have to thank Nala for that!"

"He's a worrier, she said!"

"Haha!"

"Ho!"

I wasn't sure what to think.  Nala had told them how to trick me?  Was that a sign of betrayal?  In the end, I decided I'd deal with it later, and in order to shut my two hysterical friends up, gently rolled them towards the water hole.  They were blissfully unaware, until, to my delight...

SPLASH!!

Off an overhang they'd gone!

"UGH!"

"Hey, this ain't bad Timon, nice and cool!"

"Pumbaa! It's mud! Revolting!  Disgusting!  Get me oout of heeeere!!"

Well, I'd stopped them laughing, even if I'd only upset Timon with my rolling trick.

"Simba!  Get me out of here!"

I laughed, "Not a chance, my friend!  A worrier am I?  Well, don't you worry Timon, I won't worry about how you look when you finally get out!  Perhaps muddy brown will be this years new burgundy?!"

And with that, I bounded off, smiling.

In the beautiful sunshine, still smiling, I ran into a group of the older lionesses.  "Hello there!  Lovely day!"  I beamed happily.  They looked shocked at my happy nature.  Something about their shifty looks gave me the impression that they'd been talking about me before I'd bounded up.

"So, er – how is everyone today?" I asked tentatively.

"Just fine.  You're right, it is a lovely day," said Shuku, somewhat forcefully, I felt.

"Oh yeah, it's really good to see the Pridelands back to normal again, you've done a great job.  Keep it up," said Terema, rather more enthusiastically.

"Oh, um – thanks," I replied, feeling myself blushing slightly, "I'm glad you think so."  I smiled.

"Well, we'll be on our way, if that's ok with you," said Shuku, her eyes narrowing slightly, "we were just on our way to the waterhole."

"Oh, I've just been there," I said brightly, "mind you avoid the muddy parts, you might meet some, er, unsavoury figures there," I laughed as I imagined Timon climbing out covered head to tail in mud.

"We usually do, mud doesn't taste too good for drinking" replied Shuku, with unnecessary scepticism, I thought.  "We'll be seeing you then."

As they left, I was sure I heard Terema say "There was no need for..." and her voice tailed off into the distance.  I was slightly confused by Shuku's reaction.  She had never had a problem with me as a cub.  In fact, she had been one of my favourite adults.  Still, never mind, I thought to myself.  It was better if I got into a better mood, after all I'd got one over on Timon, and it was a beautiful day.  Why bother feeling down?!  Bounding along again, I ran into someone else, though they were more pleased to see me than the group of lionesses, I must say.

"Hey Simba!" said Nala brightly.

"Oh, hey!" I replied, trying my best to sound as delighted as she did, but realising that I'd failed miserably.

"You catch up with Timon and Pumbaa?" she said, sheepishly.

I looked at her, and remembered what they'd said.  Unsure whether to be angry or upset, I remained silent for a moment.

"They – er, they, made you worry did they?  Pretended to be…dead?"

I looked at her again.  Then I smiled, realising what she'd done.  She smiled back.

"You realise how you've been acting?  Worrying and being over-cautious?!  Don't you see? You're your own worst enemy if you do that!"

I had to agree with her.  "You're right, again," I said, "I just have to work at what I'm doing and deal with whatever comes along sensibly, not worry about what might happen."  A bit like Hakuna Matata, I thought.  So I knew I could deal with it.

"Don't you ever get tired of helping me?" I grinned at Nala.

"Heh, it's just like having my own cub to look after," she smiled, "only more difficult!"

We laughed and nuzzled together.  She was cleaning my ears when I saw a muddy brown…thing come towards us.

"I think cleaning me right now isn't going to do a lot of good," I said, nodding in the direction of the walking talking muddy thing.

Nala looked startled and was about to question me when I silenced her with a look.  I decided to let her watch and learn.

"Gee Simba, thanks for all your help," the thing said, from a point near the top.  I guessed Timon was in his usual spot on Pumbaa's back.

"I coulda been drowned, and now look at me!  I feel like a warthog!"

"Hey, don't say that!" said a voice below.

"But I do.  You can keep your mud.  Oy!  Gimme sand any day."

I grinned at the object and said, "Hey look, I was right!  Muddy brown really suits you Timon!"

"Oh haha," he replied sarcastically, jumping off Pumbaa's back.  You know what this meerkat has to say?  You know how it feels to look like a warthog?  You know what he plans to do right now, eh? Tough guy?"  He strolled up towards me.  I confess, I had a good idea of what he planned to do.

"Gotcha!" he cried gleefully, flinging a pile of mud into my mane and running.

I chased after him, round in circles, and caught hold of his tail in my teeth in seconds.  I gently swung him round and made him fly through the air in the direction of Nala.

Dazed, he looked up, "Oh I see Missy.  Thought you could get away clean eh?!"

And with that, Nala had mud on her fur coat and a full scale riot ensued between the four of us.


	9. Shadows On The Border

Hours later, after the fight had finished and Nala and I had been to the waterhole to clean up, the two of us were again walking together round the border.  In time, caught in our discussions over some of the moves we'd made in our mud fight with Pumbaa and Timon, we found our way to the Eastern Border again.  We stopped and looked out into it.

"Just think," she said, "somewhere in there, my father lives.  Probably."

"Do you ever wish you'd known him?" I asked, in seriousness.

She looked thoughtful.  "I don't know.  Perhaps he would have been a terrible father anyway.  I mean, it's not like he had much to teach me is it?  And besides, Mufasa was like a father to me… He always had a kind word and a tickle round my ears as a cub."

"He did?"  I'd never known.  Or perhaps I'd just never noticed as a cub, being preoccupied with so many other things.

"Oh sure," she explained, "he used to talk to me a lot when you weren't around.  Explained all the traditions, and how a Queen was supposed to behave, that sort of thing."

"Like my lessons then," I noted, "I wonder why he never did them together."

Nala looked at me astounded.  "You think we would have paid attention to him?!  We would have been mucking about and pouncing on each other the whole time!"

"I suppose you're right."

Musing through my thoughts I watched the edges of the Riverlands from where I sat.  After a while came a screeching which sounded like two lions fighting.  Nala looked at me, alarmed.  Then out of a clump of trees, came rushing another lioness.  When I looked closer, I realised it was the same one I'd seen that morning with Zazu.  She had the same markings around her ears and a deep gash across her nose.

She came running towards us, fearfully, then slowed down and stopped when near the border, and she saw us looking at her.  She padded over, silently.

"Pridelanders," she whispered.

"Yes, we are," I replied, taking in her looks and in particular the gash on her nose.

"I don't see many of your kind here, are you lost?"

Nala laughed, but I shushed her, realising that might not be the best tactic to take at this moment.

"I'm a Riverlander, and I've seen you before," she said, looking at me.  And so she had.  "You saw me, the day I was given this," she said it with distaste, pawing the mark on her nose.

"I – er, yes" I said feebly.  Was she chiding me for not helping?

"Nasty fellow, that lion who gave it to me.  You don't want to cross him.  That was my mistake, and look what it did to me.  He forced me to make amends later, in the cruellest way."

"He did?"

"Oh yes, but I will not speak of it."

Nala spoke up, "What were you running from?"

The lioness stared at Nala, sizing her up, "another lioness.  They don't like me here.  They feel I don't pull my weight, and that my loyalty does not lie in the pride."

"Well, does it?" asked Nala.

"Of course not!" she snapped back.  "What use is there pledging your allegiance to a King who is more concerned with his lands than his Pride's life and safety?  Safety first, that's what my mother always taught me!  I learned the trade well.  Came in useful in my life as a rogue it did."

"You were a rogue?  Why join a pride with the attitude like you had?"

"Cubs," she said simply.  "You can't bring up cubs without a pride.  Just wish I'd chosen the right one, this leader won't let me leave," she spat.

She seemed mightily angry.  "But what's to stop you leaving?" I asked, "couldn't you leave any time.  Right now, even?"

"What, over this border?  With you standing there?  You'd kill me, you Pridelanders don't get on well with the Riverlanders.  I know. Especially after _last time_."  She said it coldly, with malice.  I wasn't sure whether it was towards her own pride or ours.

"You see the position I'm in?" she growled.  "I can't leave this pride.  They'd hunt me down, and they know I want out.  They're just waiting for me to try and then they'll be down on me.  What chance have I?"

She was right.  She was damned, whichever way you looked at it.

"I lost faith in anyone but myself the moment my father abandoned my mother and I when was a cub.  No one can be trusted.  NO ONE!"

Nala fidgeted on the spot, as if she posed an immediate threat.  But she plucked up the courage to say, "What happened to your cubs?"

"You're genuinely interested?"  She seemed surprised.  "One of them died of starvation when I tried to make it on my own as rogue.  One of them ran away when she was still small and I never saw her again.  And the other…"

She never finished.  From the bush she had come from came rushing out another couple of lionesses.

"Thinking of escaping dearie?" one of them grinned wickedly.

"And so soon?  Won't Jimbala be pleased?  Throwing it back in his face again!  After he took you in.  Made you one of his own!  This is how you repay him?  By plotting escapes with these," she turned to Nala and I, "Pridelanders".  She spat on the ground in front of us.

"I don't plot with anyone.  I am my own," said the rogue quietly.

"That's right.  No plot," I said, thinking she might appreciate someone sticking up for her.  To my astonishment, she looked at me in surprise, speechless.  I sensed anger behind her glassy blue eyes.

"You keep out of this, Pridelander!" said one of the other lionesses.  You keep to your business, we'll keep to ours.  And stay on your side of the border," she finished, her eyes narrowing.  The three of them departed through the grasses from the direction they had all arrived.

Nala and I looked at each other in shock.  "Well, that was unexpected," she said.

"Absolutely.  I'm just glad none of them knew I was King or we could have been in real trouble."

"Oh, I don't know.  I think you could have… scared them off," replied Nala, somewhat seductively, rubbing her body against mine.

Giving her a knowing smile, I followed her back into the undergrowth and inland towards Pride Rock.

On the way over, we met Rafiki, who was, as usual, in prophetic mood.  "Ah, I see you two young uns have de situation under control,"  he smiled a toothy grin, "and so you should do.  We are depending on you, young Simba, good luck my friend.  The winds state dat you will be a  great leader.  And I have faith!"

The baboon carried on towards his great tree, and left me and Nala looking at each other, slightly puzzled.  "Does he ever speak normally?!" she asked me. 

"I would guess not.  And do I wonder where my father met him?!"


	10. Time Pushes Onwards

Time pushed on again, and in a matter of days, the rains had completely finished and the trees and grasses were back to normal. It seemed we could live just as we had before, provided that there were no problems with either the River Pride or the lionesses who seemed to hold things against me.

Nothing seemed to have happened regarding the River Pride since I had met the rogue, despite the fact that I had been over there a number of times in my border patrol. Whilst things we fine on that front, it was not so within my own pride. Many of the older lionesses seemed to stick together in small groups, keeping their distance from me wherever they could. Despite Sarabi and Sarafina's continued efforts to bring them round, it seemed they were fighting a losing battle, so I let them off it until I could find the reasons why they were behaving like they were.

All Sarabi and Sarafina had established was that they were not keen on me as King when I was so young and inexperienced. Whilst I theorised that they may have had a point at first, I felt they were ignoring all the good that I had done for the lands since id got here. For their part, they argued that anyone bar Scar could have led them on to greater things. I felt most aggrieved my this, and Sarabi reacted angrily on my behalf to their insensitive nature.

But no matter how hard I tried, it seemed there was no bringing them round. And weeks later, I noticed some of the younger lionesses disappearing for days at a time, and avoiding my gaze. When I got sick of this, I put the question to my mother.

"Oh, Simba," she said, smiling. "The rains have gone and its the mating season. Of course they'll be disappearing for days. They're looking for rogue mates in the outlands.

"But why are they avoiding me?" I asked, genuinely not knowing.

"Because you haven't given them your blessing to do so," she patiently explained. "They're bound to keep it quiet if you haven't yet told them they're allowed to go. One of the King's most important jobs is to tell them they can look for a mate as soon as the rains have finished."

I understood, and later that afternoon, called a meeting for all members of the pride where I sheepishly apologised and gave my blessing for them to go and return later. I stated that they must not enter the Riverlands, however, because I was worried about what might happen to them from their King, from what I had heard, and indeed what I had seen.

Later, in the cool evening air, I was walking down to the water hole for a drink, feeling rather thirsty. I was also feeling odd in some other way though I couldn't quite put my paw on what it was. Down at the waterhole, I again met Nala, staring at her reflection in the water.

I walked over to her. She seemed neither upset nor jubilant, but somehow rather lonely. I wondered if she was upset because I had forbidden any lionesses to visit the Riverlands, where she had come from. I asked her this, and she said that it wasn't. But she remained staring at her reflection in the water, and mine next to her.

I also took to staring at our reflections in the water, looking at my dark red mane, and across at Nala's magnificent green eyes. In her reflection, she looked even more beautiful than she did normally. The feeling I'd felt on the way to the waterhole suddenly intensified, and I felt the urgent need to sit closer to my Queen.

I nuzzled my head against her, and she pushed her head onto my chest, letting it rest there for a few seconds. Suddenly, I understood what I was feeling, and what she was feeling too. Purring madly, we stood together for a good few minutes, before she headed for some undergrowth, and beckoned for me to follow...

It seemed we were not the only ones to return to Pride Rock contented that night. We spent the night at the top of Pride Rock again, looking out across the land whilst the sun slowly set over them, giving them a brilliant red glow. Today of all days, I realised just how pretty they were, more than I had ever appreciated before. Sitting together on one side, we talked deep into the night about anything and everything, culminating in our discussion about being parents.

"Of course, I've had all this practice from looking after you," she purred, looking at me happily.

I purred back, and replied, "Well, at any rate, I'll have the experience. I can tell the child stories, teach him my mistakes, and make his late cubhood and growing up all the more useful and better than mine."

"You're assuming the cub will be male, Simba," she reminded me, "what if it's a girl?"

"Then I'll know I'll be just as happy because she'll be as beautiful as you."

She licked my face, just as she always did when feeling at her most loving, and we settled down, blissful and peaceful and as full of hope as ever we had been for our future.

So it was that next morning we awoke still with smiles on our faces, the sun almost fully risen and warming our backs upon the cold stone of Pride Rock. With each new day, we were brought ever closer to the next generation, and I thought wistfully of mine and Nala's days as cubs, carefree and innocent, whilst our parents looked on, proud and happy. And it would be roles reversed. Even the slightly frosty reception I received from a minority of the older lionesses when I descended from the top of the rock couldn't ruin my mood, and I happily set off with Zazu half an hour later on border patrol, eager to hear anything he had to say that might be of interest.

I learned that he had been keeping minor tabs upon the various places the lionesses had visited in order to find mates. "Oh, most of them have been pretty lucky sire. They all seem perfectly happy. There'll be some happy faces when the cubs are delivered, I can tell you."

I was pleased for them, because I myself knew the feeling. I encouraged Zazu to continue with the morning report as I skirted the Northern border of the Pridelands and looked at the elephant graveyard with an amused interest. "Well, sire, the herds are grazing as ever. Antelope giddy as usual, cheetahs racing across the savannah. Oh yes," he remarked, "the Pridelands are returning to just as they ever were. And if I may say so, Sire, that's thanks in no small part to you."

"I'm glad you think so, Zazu, but flattery will get you nowhere!" I laughed, winking.

"On the contrary, it has got me everywhere! Oh, your father was a tough nut to crack, but I got round him in the end."

I laughed, surprised at this analogy of my father as I'd never heard him before. Mufasa, difficult? No! It couldn't be!

"Oh yes, he was as cynical to my usefulness as you were as a cub my boy. But, I talked him round in the end."

"Zazu, you could _talk_ anyone round." Zazu missed my sarcasm, to my amusement.

As we neared the end our patrol, it occurred to me that I was happy. Happier than I'd ever been in my life, in fact. As a cub, I was carefree, innocent and lived life to the full, but at that age, you lack the appreciation of what you have. Rafiki once told me a proverb that had been passed down for generations in his kind. "You never appreciate a gift until it's gone." And if life is not a gift, what is? No matter what we are dealt, who we are born as, life is still a gift. And when it's gone, people bask in your memory. Just look what it had done for my father – he was the Lion King, but not a great King in his time, he was too young. And yet with memory, his life and the small time we spent with him on earth was nothing if not a gift.

But why am I explaining this? I need to establish the gift of peace. In many long years, the pride had never known it. Always there had been times where they resented the hyenas or had fought with the River Pride. None remained save myself from my time in the jungle who could remember the blissful tolerance of everything that peace gives. It is said that it is at your 'coming of age' that your innocent cub-like nature begins to realise that peace didn't exist, and your memories of it are poor. Yet now, here we were, on the brink of something great, and to think, I was at the helm!

Could it last though? Could it ever. I wasn't born Simba for nothing. My role as King and trying to keep peace was clearly never going to be easy, and so it proved. The tension that I had felt bubbling under the last few months in my lionesses seemed to have come to the surface one day during a meeting I had called for the whole pride. I had suggested, quite reasonably, I felt, that certain duties for which I had been fully responsible in my reign should be shared and spread evenly throughout the pride. I appreciated the lionesses job as hunters, but knew I couldn't keep up a full border patrol on my lonesome along with all my other duties. But was that fair? Apparently not…


	11. Heated Argument

"You see! Just like his uncle," hissed Shuku, "a sniff of power and look where it leads him! He wants us to do his dirty work. We can't fall for it again!"

My mother roared in my defence, "How dare you! How can you suggest my son is a tyrant without our interests at heart?"

Shuku's eyes narrowed and hunched her shoulders, before saying matter-of-factly, "Bad blood, what can I say?"

"Bad blood?!" cried Sarabi, "are you suggesting my husband was a tyrant too?"

Shuku avoided the question. "The point is, my dear, this golden boy of yours is manipulating us to his own ends. Doesn't it seem suspicious that he went away for all those years while we suffered here? Anyone with our interests at heart would have returned immediately."

"He was a CUB!" screeched my mother. There was a suppressed rage building inside her, the likes of which I'd never seen before. "He was tricked! And you have the audacity to hold that against him?"

"Ha!" replied Shuku, "that's as maybe, but I've seen the way he plots behind those eyes. A front he puts on. We've seen you and Nala out together, _plotting_. Isn't that right girls?"

There was a shallow murmur from some quarters, though noticeably subdued, I felt.

"You forget your place," said Nala simply. "You owe Simba your lives and this country. And what right have you to drum up support against one with such inexperience who has surpassed all expectations?"

"She speaks the truth," another lioness, Hulo offered. I gave her a supportive smile of admiration for her loyalty, but I was becoming worried by my inability to defend myself or even fight my own argument. Surely Shuku would pick up on it sometime soon, if the argument was not going her way.

"The truth? I haven't heard truth from a King in years. You promised us a hero when you went for help, Nala. And you brought back _this_? He can't even defend himself when the going gets tough!"

"I went for help against Scar's tyranny. And together, we fought it. All of us. United! Even you, Shuku. And you forget it. He's done more for this pride than you can possibly imagine."

"Pssh! Well, you should know. You're the golden boy's golden girl."

I roared in anger. She was surely overstepping the mark now. She looked at me in mock surprise.

"Hark! The traitor speaks. What has he to say in his defence?"

I thought for a moment. "You say I am a traitor and that I run the Pridelands poorly. Tell me, what would you have me do? What do I do wrong?"

"Oh, we've seen you. Border patrol he calls it, while he and his precious mate go and visit the enemy at the Eastern border! We wondered what it was you plotted about. Now's your chance to tell us!"

So I'd been spied on? I stood flabbergasted, unable to believe what I was hearing. After all the hard work I'd put in! How could anyone suggest I was a traitor with intentions like Scar? I was silenced once more, and had no reply. Shuku gave a smug smile of triumphant victory.

"C'mon girls. We'll leave the King to stew on his plans. Remember this, your majesty - we will forgive and forget in time. But for now, you stick to your duties and keep your distance!"

And with that, a number of lionesses left with her, heading for a small overhang at the foot of Pride rock. Around me remained about half of the pride, and I was unsurprised to see most of them were younger ones. Terema came and stood next to me, and said, voice quavering slightly, "We support you King. You are honest and true, and give us no reason to doubt you."

But no amount of support at that time could help with the dull feeling in my heart. My dreams of peace had been shattered in one horrible evening, and I had a feeling this incident was going to run and run.

The cave felt surprisingly empty and bereft of colour or character that night, such that I had never known. Nala told me it had been this bad under Scar, but I couldn't imagine it any worse than it was. For sure, the events had hit me worse than others, but for my part, I couldn't work up anger in my astonishment. In truth, I left my mother and Sarafina work up a sweat in such extreme anger, whilst I lay there feeling rather sorry for myself. I admit it, I was not displaying any qualities that was required of me, but for once, I was too depressed to care, and didn't know which way to turn; even Nala was not her usual pillar of strength.

Time seemed to stand still as the air thickened in the cave. Eventually I could stand it no longer. I decided to go for a walk. I knew no one would follow. I went out and walked in the grasses, and mused over what the future might hold.

How could I bring a cub into a world like this? As his father, I would be expected to be the role model whom he or she could look up to with respect and for guidance. They wouldn't understand. Poor thing. And yet at the moment it was nothing but a glint in Nala's eye.

I felt compelled to visit the Eastern border. I didn't doubt my reasons for doing it. I felt the need to confide in someone outside the Pride, and the rogue was the only one I could think of. Timon and Pumbaa wouldn't understand, and I couldn't rely on Zazu again. And who did that leave? My father? I didn't think I could face thinking about him. It would just leave me stowed in guilt that I couldn't continue his work, that I'd somehow betrayed his memory.


	12. Another Visit To The East

I approached the border, more out of hope than expectation. But, there she was. As if she was expecting me to turn up. From a distance, she looked at me, and said breathlessly, "Pridelander… Back so soon?"

"Mmyeah," I murmured.

"The Pridelander is not happy. Something troubles him."

"Again," I said gloomily.

"And why is this? Does he not meet expectations like this rogue?"

"Expectations?"

"Why else would I be guarding the border. Punishment for what _he_ sees as disloyalty last time. Not that I ever intended to escape," she said bitterly.

"Isn't putting you on border patrol for attempting to escape rather, uh…risky?"

"Oh, he knows I daren't try and escape again. And he knows I talked to dear Pridelanders last time. He did rather hope they'd return. And he has!"

"I… needed to."

"But of course. Yet something still troubles you, Pridelander. You came here to discuss it, did you not?"

"Yes."

"Whatever will they think back home? A Pridelander confiding in a Riverlander! Rumours _will_ be spread!"

"Oh, I shouldn't think they'll mind too much."

"No, indeed. It seems your people are more accepting than… these."

I laughed hollowly, "You think so?"

"I do. You don't know what you've got until you lose it, Pridelander. I've made that mistake, now don't you make it too."

"Somehow, I think it's too late. And please, STOP calling me Pridelander! Don't you know who I am?"

"Well, I don't believe I've had the pleasure…"

"Simba."

"Simba, eh? Parents weren't feeling original then?"

I frowned at her. "How should I know. I can't remember back that far." My mind was a whirlpool of thoughts, and I wasn't thinking about what I was doing. She didn't know, but any time I could let slip about my Kingship, and that would be the end of it. She wouldn't pass up an opportunity like that, surely.

"Apologies Simba."

"It's fine. And what do I call you?"

"I like 'the rogue' thank you."

"If you insist."

"So, Simba, what keeps bringing you back here? You must understand that I'm deep trouble. It wouldn't do to make my acquaintance."

"Well, the truth is… I see something of me in you."  
She looked surprised. Certainly she wasn't expecting that.

"Really, is that so? I'm flattered."

"I wouldn't be. But, I don't think now's the time to talk about my problems." I said, hastily covering up my tracks and avoiding the issue of revealing my status. "I want to know more about how you came to be here."

"But you know! I was a rogue. I had cubs and needed the security of a pride."

"But why this one?"

"What was the alternative? Your precious Pridelands were a bit off in those days. Something about an evil ruler. I never paid much attention really. You can guess how much I regret joining this lot though."

"I suppose. What do you want though? To live as a rogue again?"

"Preferably," she eyed me cautiously, "but dreams very rarely become reality you know, Simba.

"With an attitude like that they won't," I said, reciting a lesson my mother taught me as a cub.

"Ha! I like your optimism, boy. But I've lived, I've been around. I know the grass is always greener on the other side, until you get there."

"Do you think the grass here looks greener than over there?"

"Of course. Anywhere would be better than this hell hole."

An idea formed in my mind. "Then perhaps, you could… join our pride? My pride?" My tongue had slipped, there was no turning back now, she must know.

"_Your_ pride? No, don't tell me, you aren't the King!"

"What makes you so sure?" I tried to throw her off the scent. It didn't work.

"You are young. Indecisive. You struggle boy, and you need too much help. Any problem and you struggle to deal with it."

I thought about her words and decided they were true. "Well, why do you think I came here in the first place?"

"My experience? Please! I'm no leader. I am my own, as I always say. I have no place in a pride."

"You would in mine," I said quietly.

"You know full well you need the support of the other lionesses. And something tells me you lack it at the moment. Besides, they won't trust me. 'Riverlander' they'll call me. I'd be an outcast. Sorry, Simba. It's not meant to be."

She turned to leave.

"One last question," I said hopefully.

She turned, sighed, and said, "Yes?"

"Last time, you never mentioned what happened to your third cub."

I saw the first sign of weakness and sadness in her eyes.

"I'm not sure I can tell you… I was very close to my three little ones. I miss them all terribly, every day. If there's one regret I hold above all others, its…" she turned her head away, "never mind."

"If you ever have a cub, Simba, treasure it. Do it for my sake as much as for yours. Please, say you will."

"Er, I – will."

And without another word, she left.

For sure, none of my problems had been solved, but I felt that much better now. I returned to Pride Rock ready to face those who remained loyal. They stood in silence waiting for me. One of them stepped forward.

"You have some explaining to do Simba. Shuku told us you plotted with a Riverlander. I followed to call you home, and I go to find you inviting her to join our pride. Could it be that she was right, King?"

Clearly, I did have some explaining to do. Even Nala looked hurt.

"I…," I began, "I, er…"

Sarafina stepped forward, "For now, Simba, we reserve judgement, for we believe in you. But please, for yours and our sake, work with us. Its necessary, you cannot play into Shuku's hands. You know she's wrong, why give her the satisfaction of getting to you? Rise above it and prove her wrong!"

Murmurs of agreement followed her statement.

"I will," I said, rather more bravely than I felt. "And I'm sorry."

With that, they left, leaving Nala and I staring at each other. I couldn't keep her gaze for longer than a few seconds.

"Why'd you do it Simba? Why did you ask her?"

"I don't know. I guess I felt sorry for… her. She understands Nala. You know she does. She's troubled too. I felt I owed her something in return."

"I understand Simba, but the pride won't. To them, she's scum of the Earth. A-and I found something else out, too," she said quietly, "from Terema."

"Oh?"

"She was with Shuku once when they spied on you, and she recognised the rogue. She was the one who killed Yaya, Simba!."


	13. Miracle Of Life

Months passed again, and I ventured nowhere near the Eastern border, preferring to keep my distance from this rogue who played me for a fool. Relations in my own pride had not improved, but at least neither were starving or in great danger. The twinkle in dear Nala's eye was no longer just a twinkle, and she began to become more sluggish in her manner as the lump in her stomach grew ever bigger. Rafiki paid frequent visits, and every time put his ear against her stomach, clicking his tongue, muttering things like 'healthy young prince' and "hmm… twins maybe…"

Then, one night, Nala woke me with a start. She whimpered in my ear, "help," and I knew what was up. I rose quickly, and headed for a young lioness who I shook awake with difficulty.

"Get Rafiki," I said agitatedly, before rushing back to my Nala in her state on the stone floor. She didn't look good.

"It hurts, oh god it hurts," she moaned, beckoning me to her side.

Not that I could imagine the pain, I lay there with her, whispering what I hoped were words of comfort and support. Nala's reactions were painfully starved of love, though I couldn't really blame her in her present state. The lionesses in the cave had awoken in the ruckus, and Sarabi came over to me, and whispered in my ear.

"Traditionally, it does not do for males to remain when the miracle of life is on its way," she intoned.

My thoughts drifted back to my youth when I claimed that when I was King I would dispense with tradition, but in this case I decided it was an unwise move, and reluctantly left Nala's side to wait outside and leave her mother Sarafina to keep her company. Sarabi followed me outside, and I was thankful for it. It was rare indeed that I got the opportunity to speak one on one with my mother.

"She'll be OK, right?" I asked her, in a worried tone.

"Birth is dangerous," she began, and I whimpered pathetically, "but Nala is strong, I have faith in her. And so should you."

Of course, she was right – mothers always are. We sat in silence for a while, before she rested her head on my shoulder, just as Nala usually did.

"Just think, my own grandchildren," she smiled happily, "I never thought I'd live to see the day! Particularly not after… the incident."

I purred reassuringly. "I always wanted to make you happy mum. I hope this does for you as much as it will for me."

Tears formed in her eyes. "You have no idea, son.

"Even when you'd gone, I still loved you with all my heart. And I just want it to be known, I will always. No matter what."

The words pained her. "I know," I said confidently. Those two words on their own were so effective and true. Nothing ever comes before love, and this was one such occasion. I'd learned the hard way in my lifetime that as long as you have those who love you, it doesn't matter what happens, they'll always take you back.

A squeal came from the cave and a shout, "Simba! Come quick!"

I rushed in, faster than I'd ever remembered, forward to my mate. There, Nala lay, exhausted, eyes shut. My heart sank to depths it hadn't since the stampede. I couldn't believe it. She'd… _gone_.

Had I not been so caught up in my worries, I may have realised that there was no chance she was dead, but at the time, my mind naturally reverted to 'worst case scenario' mode. But, to my intense relief, Nala's eyes opened, and twinkled, while she smiled, tiredly. "Say hello to your new son."

She raised her forepaw, and there, clutched close to her chest were two cubs, a male and a female. They were beautiful, tiny balls of fur. Looking at them made my whole life worthwhile, and at that moment I vowed to make peace with the rebels in any way I could.

Then what Nala had said hit me. "My son? But what about the girl?" Somehow, I felt I already knew the answer.

"She didn't make it. I'm sorry I wasn't strong enough for her Simba." Nala looked crestfallen.

"Hey, hey, I'm not angry or upset with you. I'm proud. And anyway, we still have this beauty to look forward to."

I sniffed the male affectionately, and he meowed pathetically. Nala and I laughed meekly. "We need a name," I said.

"Tanabi," replied Nala, simply.

I couldn't argue. I looked at the fuzzy cub with extreme pride, and rolled the name over my tongue.

"Tanabi. I like it." Nala smiled, and I nuzzled her face.

Rafiki appeared from the shadows. "Oh, I am sorry about de girl," he said, "it was no good, she was dead when she came out." He raised her in his hands, and said, "I will bury her, and she will be remembered lovingly." And so she was, for the rest of our life.

Nala, Sarafina, Sarabi and I sat, admiring Tanabi for a long time, until we were aware of the dawn. The whole time, the cub had snuggled closely to Nala for warmth and protection, with its eyes firmly shut. I spoke aloud with pride and purpose to the others, "The circle of life continues. And with the greeting of this new generation, along with the other new cubs of our pride, I feel that we and the rebels should put away our differences for now, and celebrate the new prince."

My mother smiled. "Spoken like a true King," she said with admiration.

I couldn't help but smile back.


	14. A Decision And A Story

The next few days were hectic from my point of view, as I ensured Nala was never uncomfortable or under stress (she never was of course, and began to get quite ratty when I wouldn't leave her in peace for ten minutes). Not only that, but my vow to get the pride back together was taking place in leaps and bounds. I called a meeting with the rebels, and they showed more than a passing interest in the birth of Tanabi, including an endless number of questions about him. In particular, the younger ones showed an interest, particularly those with cubs themselves. no doubt because they hoped for mine and Nala's choice for their cub to be betrothed to our prince.

For this reason, amongst others, many of the rebels felt the need to return, and my meetings with them were going places. Even Shuku was noticeably subdued from last time, and even spoke to me civilly.

"I understand that I may have been slightly rash in my estimations in our last meeting, dear King," she said. It troubled me, deciding whether she was being sincere or sarcastic, but I went with it in hope.

"And for my part, Shuku, I accept and understand your feeling, and hope they will be rectified in the future. I ask you and your sisters to return to our cave, and live in harmony, so that the newborn may grow together in the right environment."

"I cannot argue with what you say, your majesty. For once you speak with wisdom beyond your years. It is no good for our cubs to grow up in an environment of intolerance and war. We must teach them peace and love."

And so, after a few exchanges, the pride was restored once more, but for how long?

"Simba, dear, I was asked again this morning about who will be dear Tanabi's bride as he grows older," said Nala, for what felt like the hundredth time.

This subject pained me intolerably. I did not want the power to chose one cub over another, and Tanabi himself seemed to have taken no particular preference for any cub, male or female, to help in my decision. Once again, my loyalty to tradition was being thrown into question.

"Nala," I began.

"Yes?" she replied eagerly.

"You know how when I was young I said that the arranged marriage tradition would be the first thing to go when I was King?"

"Ha ha!! How could I forget, to Zazu. Little scamp that you were then!"

"Heh, yeah… Erm, well, I was thinking. Maybe, I had that one right? I can't chose a suitor for Tanabi now! Look at him, he's got so many friends, how can we chose one over any others?!"

"I see where you're coming from Simba, and it's bothered me too. But haven't you noticed a sort of mutual attraction between Tanabi and Sholina?" she asked hopefully.

"I can't say I have," I replied tersely, feeling a bit annoyed at her perseverance.

"No, me neither really…" she laughed. "It is a stupid idea, isn't it?"

"Very," I agreed.

"Then, maybe – in this case - you were right when you were a cub!"

I was glad when she said it. A huge weight had suddenly been lifted off me. The rest of the pride didn't take it greatly, but had the sense to accept my decision. Without a suitor then, young Tanabi would be free to make his own choice, and as the sole hope for our future, many mother lionesses watched proceedings between he and their cubs with great interest in the coming months.

What was true was that there had certainly been a large litter of cubs in the pride. Clearly, some of the lionesses had been busy, but at least it meant there were plenty of each others age for them all to play with. Though Tanabi was ever-popular, he made particularly with two sisters, Sava and Ella, who were part of the litter of a young lioness who I had relied upon regularly, Mtifu. At the time, I hadn't realised how important and strong our friendship would be, but in the future, I would be glad of Tanabi for his friendship which led to the loyalty of Mtifu, there was no doubt.

In the meanwhile, however, I had a cub to father and teach…

"C'mon Dad, tell us another story! Pleeease!" said little Tanabi.

"But its time for bed!" I replied, smiling.

"Aww! But I'm not tired. Can't I go for a ride with Pumbaa?! Huh?!"

"Not now, Tani! Maybe tomorrow."

"Well, how about a story then, I like one before I go to bed."

I sighed, "OK," I replied exasperatedly, "which one?"

"Uh, uh… the one…about… hyenas!"

"Again?!" I said. It was his new favourite, the story of his mum and dad's adventures in the elephant graveyard. I'd told it three times this moon.

"Yeah yeah yeah!! It's really cooool!!"

I smiled. "Well, OK. It started when my dad showed me the Kingdom…"

An hour later, and the exciteable cub was finally asleep, curled up against my side. I treasured the moments when he was asleep. He was at his cutest when he was curled up in a ball, with his ears flattened. Plus, as an added bonus, he didn't talk when he was asleep.

"You look shattered, dear," said Nala wickedly.

"Oh, I feel it," I replied, "was I ever _this_ much trouble?"

"Oh, much more," butted Sarabi, amusedly.

"Just feel lucky he doesn't bite you ear like you did to Mufasa!"

"Yeah, well, maybe. But if he doesn't bite my ears, he still sure knows where to hurt," I said, laughing.

Nala and Sarabi laughed, "All good training for the future for him, dear," Nala grinned.

"I sure hope he never kills an antelope with a bite _there_! Nothing deserves that kind of treatment, even a hyena!"

We all laughed. Life was pleasant, despite my mother and Sarafina growing older by the day, ever closer to their deaths. But somehow, this didn't matter, as it was never mentioned, and we seemed to skirt over the issue, though it was plainly obvious that my mother in particular was no longer in any condition to join the hunts. She was instead in charge of helping look after the cubs whilst the mothers were hunting. She relished the job, after she had missed some of my growing up, this was sweet payback.


	15. Growing Up Fast

The days wore on, and Tanabi became ever more lively, and full of questions. He had formed a particularly close relationship with Timon and Pumbaa, which I saw as a good thing – I could trust them to baby-sit for me and Tanabi wouldn't even object because he enjoyed their company so much. It also kept me free from the three of them, though allowing my son to run around with my two old mates seemed less of a wise move when he became wizened up to my behaviour as a cub.

"C'mon Tani, you gotta eat now, son."

"Aw, but I don't like Zebra. It's yucky."

Surprised? I was too. "Yes, you do. Your mum used to give it you all the time and you never complained."

"Yea…I – er, well, I don't want it today," he said, sticking his nose up in the air.

Exasperated, I said, "C'mon Tani, you have to eat or you'll starve. You don't want that. Right?"

"It's NOT FAIR. You never had to eat what you didn't want."

"Ha! Yes I did. You think I enjoyed some of the stuff Grandma used to make me eat with my liver?!"

"You refused still, she told me. And in the jungle, you ate wriggly bugs. Timon and Pumbaa told me. And I tried one, and I want another one."

"But they're not for you! Besides, wouldn't you much prefer a niiice, juicy zebra innard?!"

"No."

And he sat there til the corpse was almost empty. I pretended to walk off sighing, muttering words about him going hungry, and was secretly rather pleased when I turned round to see him scratching around hungrily in what was left. I also resolved to have more than a little word with Timon and Pumbaa about ideas they were putting into his head!

At length, Tanabi finished and headed back towards Pride Rock, straight at me. I pretended to be looking at the stars, so he wouldn't know I'd been spying on him. He was used to this by now as common practice, and accepted it without question, though this time he stopped and hovered around anxiously.

"Something bothering you, son?"

"Um… Nyeah… no… nah, not really," he finished.

I pulled a face and turned to look at him, "nyeah?"

"Heh," he laughed nervously, "well, I was just wondering Dad."

I smiled, "about what?"

"Well, you spend an awful long time looking at the stars. And I don't understand why. Uncle Timon told me they were just fireflies. What's so interesting about those?"

I rolled my eyes at the mention of Timon. "Son, there are some things you must realise. In the circle of life, though everything has a place, and is important, and has a role to play, to all intents and purposes Timon is an exception to the rule."

He laughed. "But he knows everything!"

"Another thing. The wisest creatures in these lands are the ones that speak the least. Remember that lesson that Grandma taught you?"

"About the monkey and however much he talked, the less he thought?" Tanabi said hopefully.

"Right. Well, in this case, Timon talks… a lot. Right?"

"Right."

"So how much does he think?"

"Er…not very much?" His tiny head was working in overdrive.

"Precisely. So, when he tells you something, does that mean he's always right?"

"I get it!! No, it doesn't!" he paused doubtfully, "but Pumbaa believes everything he says."

"And who's judgement do you trust? Your father's or a warthog's?"

He smiled and cuddled up to me, "You, Dad."

We'd got there in the end.

That night I began to teach him about the great Kings of the past. He listened attentively, and was a quick learner, even if on occasion he seemed relatively slow on the uptake. When I was telling him about Mufasa, he interrupted for the first time.

"Ooh, I've heard all about him. He was a great King, wasn't he? Huh?"

"To me? The greatest," I said wistfully, remembering back to my cubhood when I'd been in his situation and thought the world of my dear father. I wondered if little Tanabi felt the same about me.

"Nah, he's not the greatest," said Tanabi confidently.

"Oh, then who is?"

"Well, there's Aideu for a start," he said, reciting one of his lessons from Nala only recently. I was quite disappointed – I don't mind admitting I'd hoped he'd say 'you, Dad'. I would have been so happy with that. Still, I suppose it showed he had his head screwed on, realising that Aideu was indeed the greatest. He'd continued talking…

"And I think you're great too," he finished, nuzzling against my mane. I lay backwards and placed him on my stomach and held him close.

"I'm glad you think so, and I think the same about you," I whispered, stroking his golden fur pleasantly.

"You'll never leave me, right Dad?"

"Never. I'll always be right here," and I pointed with one paw to his heart, and said, "Mufasa still lives in me, and when I'm not here to hold you, you'll still feel me. To protect you and to guide you, always, I'll be there. I promise."

He lay on my stomach, purring happily and contentedly, before falling into a deep sleep. I loved my little son.


	16. Fun And Games And A Fight

"Hey, Simba! Long time, no see! We gather you've been filling the little 'un with stories about how empty vessels make the most sound. Quite right too. A wizened fellow like me, _knows_ when to keep his mouth shut," said Timon, modest as ever, without a hint of self-consciousness.

Tanabi had blabbed about what I'd told him about Timon not being the sharpest stick in the forest, but Timon being Timon had not picked up quite yet on its meaning.

"Course, we've been teaching him all we know. He's a quick learner, much better than you, y'know."

"Er, thanks, I think…" I replied.

"Oh yeah, your majesty," Pumbaa piped up, "he's got the hang of bowling for buzzards really well, runs in the family I'd say."

"Oh Pumbaa, please. Simba doesn't need crawlers and suck-ups, he can take it how it is. He never could frighten a bird, don't flatter him by suggesting he could."

"Frighten a bird?!" I laughed, "all I have to do is roar! Besides, why bother with birds? It's much more fun doing it on you."

"Tanabi growled from behind the meerkat, and Timon jumped out of his skin. "Yaaaah!! Where is it?! It's gonna eat me!"

Tanabi laughed and rolled over on his back. "Uncle Timon, your such a scaredy kat!"

"Oh, young mister, you wait and see. One of these days, I'll be ever so brave, I'll show you. Oh I will!"

"Dream on!" laughed Tanabi.

If nothing else, he'd caught on best how to aggravate Timon; something I couldn't begrudge him for!

"Hey, Timon, he has a point. You're always waking up dreaming about large monsters with great big teeth," offered Pumbaa.

"You know about that?! Hey, how d'you know about that? I never told you!"

"Well, its hard to miss. You always bury your head in my side and shudder."

"Heeey… You're supposed to be asleep when that happens!"

"Well…I wasn't…"

"You mean you hid it from me?" Timon's face was on the verge of breaking up, into anger or sadness, I couldn't tell, "how could you?!"

To be sure, all this stuff was liquid gold for future arguments with them, but I had come to collect Tanabi because I had somewhere to take him. He reluctantly left when I mouthed at him to follow, giggling madly at the two friend's continuing arguments.

"You see?" I asked Tanabi when we were out of earshot, "the more they speak the less they think!"

"Too right! I'm glad I'm a lion!"

"Me too, Tani."

He put on a contented face and walked alongside me, head held high.

"So…where are we going?" he asked at length.

"Somewhere very special," I told him, "you haven't been there yet."

"Really? Wooow!" His unrivalled enthusiasm continued.

"Are we nearly there yet?"

"No, not yet. Why don't you tell me about one of your lessons from Granny Saffy this morning?"

"Ooh, yeah!" he said delightedly, "she taught me this real cool story. All about a real ugly lion and a real nice one with a white mane."

"Yeah?" I said, pretending the story was new to me.

"Yeah! And the white-maned one was really nasty and mean and, and… what was the word… agro-ant?"

"arrogant?" I suggested.

"Yeah, that's it! agroant! Well, yeah, he was really agroant and the ugly lion with one eye and a limp was real nice. And one day, they were out walking together, and they saw a pretty lioness. Well, the agroant lion says to her 'hmm, with my brains and our combined good looks, we could make a great team and rival Aideu himself!' but the one eyed lion just smiles at her and says hello."

"Really?" I said, feigning surprise, "so then what happened?"

"Well, the lioness followed them home, and the agroant one thought she was following him, so he was strutting about like all that," he gave me a demonstration with his tail held high in the air and his head pointing upwards, "but she weren't too impressed with it. She thought he was silly."

"Uh huh? And what did the one-eyed one think?"

"He thought she was very pretty, but that she wouldn't dream of even looking at him because of how he looked. But she did, she kept smiling at him, and the agroant one got real jealous."

"Then what happened?!"

"Well, eventually, the one-eyed one and the lioness got married, and the agroant one got all huffy and showed off by jumping off the top of Pride Rock, to show how brave he was. A-and the two lived happily ever after but the agroant one was dead."

"Very good, and what does it mean?"

"It-It's what's on the inside that counts, and the mind can be just as great as the body!" he wagged his tail excitedly, "Did I get it right?!"

"Perfect, son," and he beamed at me.

We continued along. The truth was, I didn't have any special place for us to go, I just liked walking and talking with Tanabi, and he seemed to enjoy it back. I had a vague plan for us to go and meet his mother and Mtifu and her daughters Sava and Ella, just the few of us, in the peace and quiet, away from the hustle and bustle of Pride Rock and the pressures of ruling a Kingdom. Eventually, we arrived at a spot where the four of them were waiting for us in the shade of some acacia trees. I lay down contented whilst Tanabi ran off into the grasses to play with Sava and Ella.

"Don't go too far now," called Nala protectively.

Nala, Mtifu and I lay talking happily.

The two of them discussed their hunting habits and the effectiveness of some of the moves that they carried out. Though I hunted extremely rarely myself, I took some interest in this, because hunting was the only activity in which I didn't join in, perhaps was even unwelcome to join in with. At length, however, the topic turned to me, as it usually did.

"The truth is, Sir," said Mtifu, "the older members don't have the confidence because they're sour and worried about what you might do when their backs are turned. They are under the misinterpretation that this may happen, simply because for so many years they did live with this fear. I told them it was unjustified, but they don't seem to want to see sense. They take any setback, major or minor, as a sign from Aideu that you aren't up to the job."

"It all seems a bit harsh to me," said Nala, "they were perfectly accepting when he came back and challenged Scar for the throne."

"Too true," replied Mtifu, "they're just caught up in silly unproven ideas."

"I'm just glad I've at least got a little support, or I might believe them myself," I said, "but I'm glad I cant trust you at any rate Mtifu."

"You have my life-long service, King Simba."

"But out of interest, if your loyalty lies with me, what of the father of your beautiful cubs?"

"Oh, for certain he was a fine fellow. He had a flowing soft mane and was incredibly muscly. But a rogue? I couldn't go and live with a rogue, I've lived in the sanctuary of a pride all my life. I couldn't abandon it now, especially not with cubs."

"I've heard similar problems from someone else," I said, looking at Nala knowingly, "and was, this fellow…keen, on this plan?"

"Not particularly, he said I had betrayed him by refusing to live with and marry him. He swore a vow against me and said he never wanted to see me again."

"He sounds rather possessive and forceful," Nala spoke aloud.

"Oh, he was I suppose. But I was at the stage where personality didn't seem the most important thing, if you see what I mean…"

"Perfectly," laughed Nala.

"Hey…" I said, wondering for a moment whether she was laughing knowingly about me…

The three of us laughed again.

"At any rate, I hope I don't see him again also. There's no telling what he might do to my dear cubs if he finds them."

"Is there any chance of that?"

She never answered. From over a ridge we heard cub squeals and roars from what sounded like an older lion. Panicking, we three rushed over towards the sound, ever wary of what kind of grisly sight might meet our eyes.

What we saw was arguably worse. For there, besides the three cubs was a fully grown adult male, who looked decidedly malicious. For the moment I was too far away to do anything, being far away on a ridge, and the four of them were unaware of my presence.

From what I could tell, Tanabi was facing the adult, spitting and growling as fiercely as he could at this intruder. Naturally, the intruder was not deterred by a small cub and he eyed him amusedly, before turning his attention back to Sava and Ella. Mtifu appeared by my side, "Oh no!" she breathed, "It's HIM."

From where we were there was little we could do. The adult strode past Tanabi and headed for the girls. They attempted to run, but he was too quick and bounded after them and stood over them, as if daring them to try and move without giving him what he wanted. I could only assume what he wanted was grisly. He raised a clawed paw, and was bringing it down towards dear Ella when he suddenly leaped up and roared in pain. Clinging to his ankle was my own little Tanabi, so young and insignificant compared to this bulk of a lion.

Tanabi held on with his teeth whilst the lion thrashed about madly, trying to shake him off, all his attention on the two daughters forgotten. They ran towards us, crying out and squealing. I passed them, running down towards the commotion, whilst they ran for their mother. But still I was too far away to make much difference, I couldn't reach before Tanabi had indeed been shaken off, and swung away to hit his head on a small rock, whereupon he lay very still. The lion advanced towards him slowly, baring his teeth, and roaring, "Meddlesome child, you will pay for that one!"

I was helpless and still. I suddenly realised what my father meant when he had said all those years ago that he was scared for the first time when he thought he'd lose me. Now the claw was on the other paw, and it was I in his situation, though I felt too paralysed and useless to move. Suddenly, a tawny blur appeared from one side, rushing towards the large lion, and jumping upon him. A lioness appeared, and the two thrashed about madly whilst I strived after them. My first thought was that the lioness had been Nala, but I couldn't understand why she would have appeared from the East if that had been the case, instead of where she was with me.

At length, I found my way to the fighting couple, where Tanabi lay still on the floor, and I leapt upon the bulk of the male, and ripped his throat out. He fell to the ground and was still. I looked at the lioness who had come rushing to help and noticed how she was scratched and wounded all over. She sat back on her haunches and began to clean herself. She didn't seem to be waiting for any gratitude, but remained sitting there. I didn't recognise her, but she was trespassing on my land, and I was unsure what to do.

And suddenly, it dawned on me. The East. She'd come from the East. A lioness from the East. She'd rushed to protect a child. Suddenly everything clicked and I looked at the rogue of the riverland pride with fervent astonishment.

"I told you to look after your son, for my sake!" she growled. "some father you are, letting him run off like that so near the border!"


	17. Revelation

I was still in shock, and didn't know what to reply. Nala ran up past and headed to Tanabi, with Mtifu in hot pursuit with her two cubs. The rogue looked up, "They OK?" she asked.

"Yes, fine thank you," replied Mtifu, with barely concealed anger, joy and curiosity all mixed into one.

Curiosity got the better of her, "Who are you?" she asked, "I'm sure I recognise you…"

Nala looked up. "Rogue…" she murmured, breathlessly, with a hint of a thank you.

"Yes, it is I," replied the rogue.

The four of us stood looking at each other for some time before someone spoke. When the moment came, three of us tried to speak together.

"What are you…"

"Why are you…"

"Hey, I remember y…"

I looked at the three of them tolerantly. "One at a time?" I suggested.

Mtifu cleared her throat and clutched her two cubs closely to her side, "I remember you," she began, "you're the Riverlander… I've seen you around before."

"Around?" I thought.

"Well, on the border," Mtifu corrected herself. She paused. "Talking to you, Simba," she finished finally.

Nala sighed, "Yes, we all know about that one."

The rogue looked surprised, "We do?" she questioned. "No, surely it cannot be? Am I infamous in these lands?!"

"Afraid so," I said.

"Ha!" she laughed. "I'm hated wherever I go, what a life!"

Nala put on a pained expression. Something seemed to be troubling her. Finally, she opted to say it.

"If you live on the Riverlands, what possessed you to visit the Pridelands anyway? We're not _that_ near the border here. Why did you come?"

The rogue looked down. "For no reason in particular."

"No?" I followed. Nala had a point, she had been trespassing, and, now that the united moment was over, I was remembering about her murder a few moons ago.

"Not really," she said, backing off, looking slightly worried.

I growled, quietly, "And I have another question to ask of you, about a dear friend of ours."

Now she seemed really worried. She continued edging backwards, ever more quickly, til she backed against a rock.

"Not by choice!" she said, rather hysterically. It was the first sign of weakness I'd ever seen from her. It confused me. She'd never been scared of me before. Why should she show fear now? It didn't make sense.

"Choice?!" cried Nala, "are you suggesting you were forced into it?!"

I put out a paw to silence Nala and slow her down, who for her part had begun advancing on the rogue also. The rogue seemed to admit defeat for the first time. Her voice wavered as she stared at the ground, mumbling her confession.

"It's so hard, you see. They hate me, they want me dead."

"Who? The Riverlanders?"

She nodded, "and they'll kill me, murder me. But they don't while they think I remain loyal enough to follow orders."

I encouraged her onwards. "They test my loyalty by forcing me into things I don't want to do," tears started in her eyes, "and if I refuse, they hurt. Hurt me bad."

"That doesn't seem right," thought Mtifu aloud, "you don't have a scratch on you, apart from the recent ones."

"Bah, pain is not superficial!" growled the rogue, "they know me. I can live with injury, but pain? They know how to hurt ME alright!"

"And how's that?"

"Haven't you worked it out, King of the Pridelanders? THEY killed my last cub! They hate me! They can't stand me! But they won't let me leave or they won't kill me, for they know the thing that hurts the most is having to continue service to the tyrant who killed my darling son!"

"But that's horrible!" said Nala, her maternal instincts at full flow, "how can anyone do that?"

"Don't ask me to fathom how someone's mind works," she continued bitterly, "but its done, and its continued. I try to get back at them any way I can. Oh believe me I do. But there's only so much a single lioness can do to upset the balance. And this is where you come in, Pridelanders."

Nala's ears pricked up, as Tanabi stirred in the grasses to our left.

"You are a useful tool in upsetting their balance, for they don't like you, I understand. And you yourselves aren't keen on them."

"Indeed. Carry on," I urged her, eager to get to the bottom of the situation.

"Well, they became aware of my visits to their Western border, eager to meet some of your folk. And they weren't happy with them, as I'd hoped. And I befriended a lovely wise lioness named Yaya."

"Yaya?! But you killed her!" cried Mtifu, clearly distraught.

"Yes, for my part. I was tricked into it by the River Prides wicked ways. They knew it would hurt me, and oh gods it did. It left an empty hole in my heart. For I'd grown to love that kind old lioness. From that point on, I vowed to get close to no one again, to save me the pain, though I continued my visits to the Western border."

"Why was that?"

"I don't know. Perhaps I saw some hope in it."

I shrugged and looked at Nala. She returned a worried look and asked, "But how does this lead you here today?"

The rogue looked up and said simply, "Cubs. I love them. Adore them. I knew Simba here had one – he'd so beautifully confided in me before. And I confess I… rather wanted to meet him. So I snuck over, more in hope than expectation. It was rather an irrational wish, when I didn't even know whether Simba would be out with him. I wondered if something had happened because he hadn't been to visit me at the border for a while. So, anyway, visit I did."

"And?"

"And I met the three cubs, but smelled a male stalking them. My natural instincts as a mother drove me to protect them."

"And it worked!" smiled Mtifu, with a smile of admiration than had been missing before, "Thank you so much!"

The rogue looked shocked at being spoken to in such friendly terms. I looked over at Nala seriously, and she at me. It was clear we both had the same question. She asked it.

"And, er… What is it you plan to do now?"

She sighed and shook her head, "Return and face the consequences," she said sadly, "that is, if your majesty doesn't kill me for trespassing."

So again, I was faced with another difficult decision. It seemed whatever I did, I would be damned – kill her? In cold blood after she'd saved my son? No, that wasn't an option. And I couldn't send her back, not now I knew the persecuting rule of Jimbala, the River Pride leader. Reluctantly, without consulting either Nala or Mtifu, I spoke aloud, "Rogue, the offer I made before still stands."

I knew it was silly at the time. How were the other members of the Pride going to react if I brought home a Riverlander? Especially the one who had murdered our greatest friend. If I was worried, it was not without reason. I didn't even know what Nala and Mtifu thought. I raised my head to each side to look at them. Nala looked worried, but saw me looking at her, and gave a sad smile, before nodding as if to agree with what I'd done. Mtifu stared at me, though her expression was not of distaste, more of confused amazement.

"And why would you do this?" asked the rogue.

I shrugged. "Maybe I'm just compassionate. It doesn't sound like you've met too many lions with that quality – perhaps you should take advantage of it while you can."

She thought for a while, looking at me, Nala, Mtifu and finally the surroundings.

"I'll help to make you welcome. I'll be your friend," said Mtifu. So she did agree with my proposal.

"But the others?"

"Well, they could take time," said Mtifu doubtfully.

"But, for now, we could use you. For certain, if you hunt like you fought that lion, you'll be a welcome addition to our hunting party."

The rogue perked up, "Really? I can help you there – I've learned some things over the years. Techniques that are lost from memory." She beamed.

"If this is the case, Simba, I would be delighted to join your Pride, though I must request one thing."

"But of course," I replied.

"If they come after me, let me go to them. I will not put your Pride in trouble. It seems you have been through enough trouble, I do not wish to add to that."

"Understand, that when you join our Pride, we offer our protection, regardless of whether you would take it. We would protect you to the end, if needs be."

She didn't look altogether happy, but conceded for the moment. Then added, "I prefer it already – 'our pride' – why doesn't anyone else see it like that?"

We knew what she was getting at. Nala held her head high, and spoke.

"And I have one request of you."

"Whatever it is, you may ask it."

"Tell us your real name. I dislike 'rogue' and 'Riverlander' is no better."

The rogue looked taken aback. She smiled sadly, and said "Usiku."

"Beautiful," breathed Nala, "it means night."

Usiku smiled again. "My mother always said my eyes were as dark as night."

"I like it. And night time is the only time you can see the stars. Tani will love it."

At that, I walked over to Tanabi and nuzzled him with my nose. He stirred again and looked up groggily. "Hey Dad. What happened? My head hurts."

"It's ok, son. Everything's fine. He's gone."

He gave a contented growl, "Was I brave Dad?"

"Ever so brave Tani. I was proud." And I picked him up and placed him on my back where he lay and purred while we returned to Pride Rock, but this time, an extra figure among us.

How would the others react? I didn't know. I had a good feeling which I hoped was wrong, but I wasn't confident in their reaction being positive. I wondered whether I should hold her back and explain her presence before the pride saw her, but I thought that might seem as though I had something to hide from them. I deliberated as I was walking back, and, once Tanabi had fallen asleep, Nala came alongside me.

"That was a brave and noble thing you did back there, my Simba."

"It was?"

"Yes. You know how much pain and suffering this could cause. But you also know what's right and what's wrong. And it's wrong to send her back somewhere she hates. Mtifu agrees with me."

"Is it wrong to bring her back when the rest of the pride hate her with a passion?"

"I say no, not now I know the full story. She's done no real wrong, but she's been caught up in all the wrong places. And the world hates her for it. You've extended you paw and offered her your courtesy, and that will be repaid, you see if it isn't."

"But what of the Pride? Will they offer their paws too?"

"They should do, if you are King and you order it of them."

"But that feels like I'm disobeying their trust."

"So deal with it. Much as I hate the phrase, you are King, you _can_ do whatever you want."

I frowned at her. "Please don't say that again. I hate it."

"Sorry." She looked crestfallen.

"Hey, it's ok," I told her, "but with an attitude like that, it won't help matters at all. I need to earn their trust, not turn them against me."

"I know," she said thickly, "and you will earn their trust. You'll have mine and Mtifu's help for a start."

"Thank you."

I paused, and she made to turn back to walk with Mtifu and Usiku.

"Stay walking with me please Nala. I need you right now. Just you, me and Tani."

"By all means."

And we wandered back to Pride Rock as one happy family, wondering what fate might befall Usiku in the next few hours.

**_[Author's Note:]_**

Thanks to _beekay84_ for their reviewing, much appreciated, you seem to be the only one who's read it and reviewed!! (Must be cos the story's too long, ah well!) I took some of your ideas on board and amended some other chapters where you suggested things weren't quite right (I agreed with you to an extent) except for the 'Simba seeing Scar' bit in ch3 - that was meant to be Simba putting himself in a situation like a bystander, rather than being his actual memory, though I dunno if that came across or not.

Anyways, there'll be more soon, I've written it, I'm just taking time to add it because it makes i so more exciting for the readers!! (In theory, that is!!)


	18. A New Intruder

As I half suspected, there was pandemonium when we arrived with Usiku. Some of the lionesses lined each side and spat at her as she followed me up towards the given meeting place round one side of Pride Rock. I roared, to signal I had an announcement to make, and gave anyone who cared to listen a short amount of time to make their way to the rock before I said it.

Slowly, bodies began skulking up towards us. Even Zazu flew down, muttering something about being on his day off but how it was his duty to attend every meeting. When I saw him, I suddenly felt bad about not consulting him over my decision. He was allegedly my most trusted advisor, after all. Still, I couldn't stew on that now, I had to announce my plans and decisions to those who'd arrived. By now, word had got out about why the meeting had been called, though some thought I held Usiku to try her and execute her before the pride. How wrong they were.

I cleared my throat. "I have gathered you here to discuss a matter of great importance."

A few murmurs and mumbles from the crowd.

"As you have no doubt heard, here I have with me the Riverlander responsible for the killing of our old friend Yaya. Her name is Usiku."

There were assorted hisses around the group. One whispered, "Why do we care about her name? Let us see blood!"

"SILENCE!" I bellowed. Then I turned round and looked at Usiku. She looked terrified about what might happen to her.

"There will be no blood spilt, and no execution."

Wide eyed shock and disbelief met my eyes.

"Why not?!"

"Outrage!"

"She deserves it, after what she's done!"

"SILENCE!" I roared again.

"No one deserves worse than what they have dished out. Are you not some of the same lionesses who taught me as a cub the lessons of life? That two wrongs don't make a right? That we should treat others with the respect they deserve, for we are all connected in the great circle of life?"

There were more murmurs; some of agreement, others of outrage.

"What respect does this _filth_ deserve?!"

I growled, "As much as you or I!"

She laughed. "Me or you?! How can you put her on the same level?"

"If you don't know the full story, how can you judge her?"

"If you've heard it, how do you know she's telling the truth?"

There was no real answer to that, and I stumbled over an answer.

"AHA! You see! Doubt! Even our great King begins to doubt this Riverlander," she looked at Usiku, "and she sits there smugly, laughing at the reaction she has made in our pride! Embarrassment, dears. Don't give her the satisfaction!"

Usiku hardened her facial features. "What makes you so sure, Pridelander, that I am not telling the truth? Simba here has seen evidence of what I speak of. He is your King, yet you pay him no respect. Why is this? Do you not trust him? After he has led you to heights you have not seen in years? By all means judge me. I'm worth nothing, but your King has done no wrong. So far his judgement has not led you astray, what makes you so sure it will now?"

The lioness, who's name was Allai, narrowed her eyes at her. Then she circled her, looking closely at her eyes. Usiku stared back, face devoid of all emotion. Clearly, Allai was struggling to think of a reply. Eventually, she conceded, "Maybe, we have been harsh on him for some things, but there are times when he crosses the line. I believe this is one such occasion? Do we not think so girls?"

The decision was most certainly not unanimous. Allai scowled, and thundered off, followed by her devoted clan of followers. Those that remained stared at me to see what my next move would be. I decided to explain my decision more fully, by describing things which I'd seen, and the way in which she'd rescued Tanabi. In truth, this was the main reason for my compassion for her. And it was enough for many of the lionesses, such was Tani's popularity. He knew nothing of the events going on however, having curled up asleep next to Nala long ago. Sava and Ella were with him.

"We understand, King Simba, and for now we reserve judgement. But let it be known, Riverlander, that a paw out of line and we will be down on you. We pray you will appreciate our slightly inhospitable reception for now, which we guarantee will improve with time. You will accompany us on our hunts tomorrow, and we will give you one moon to prove your worth. Then we will force Simba to be rid of you."

Usiku shrugged, "I cannot complain with that," she said.

The mob departed and it was the same four adults left again. Mtifu agreed to show Usiku the ropes, and offered to be her friend for the length of time she remained at Pride Rock. I was indebted to her. A friendship such as this could only improve relations between Usiku and the rest of the Pride. Naturally, we again had the problem of a group of rebellious lionesses, but in truth I'd expected that. For now, it was down to Usiku to settle into her new surroundings. I snuggled down next to Nala and we stayed there til morning, preferring our own company to the rest of the Pride, for tonight at least.


	19. Final Goodbye

The moon wore on, and it was evident that Usiku had made quite an impression on some of the lionesses. Her excellent hunting skills had proved a valuable asset to the hunting party, but she impressed most with her skills in handling the cubs. Tanabi, Sava and Ella took instantly to her, and often begged her to play with them. If she got fed up with it, she never showed it, which was quite remarkable, knowing what Tani was like when he got going.

One day, I felt the urge to visit Rafiki's baobab tree, to see what he felt about the whole situation. He sat mysteriously in his meditating pose as I approached, and moved only his lips when I was in earshot.

"I know why you have come, Simba, son of Mufasa."

"That's er – that's good…"

"Indeed. You seek counsel. Is your most trusted advisor no use?"

"I, er…" I hesitated, "well, I rather felt I needed an outsiders opinion on matters."

"Mmm," he grunted, and sat perfectly still for several seconds.

I rocked back on to my haunches, waiting for him to speak.

"I think she is a very nice girl," he said suddenly.

"Oh? Er – oh, yes she is."

"She fits what I predicted."

"What's that?"

"Someone would come across the land and disrupt the balance."

"Was that all?"

"There was more, largely insignificant."

"Largely?"

"It does not do to reveal what may be," he said wisely, "it only encourages them to happen quicker."

What was he getting at?

"Yes…" I said.

"Well, I'll leave you to it then," I said, backing off. I was beginning to question the wisdom of coming to see him.

"Goodbye, my King. May the sun shine brightly on you always."

"And you," I replied. He really was a creepy little monkey.

When I returned, I went to visit my mother, who I hadn't seen since Usiku had appeared. As the days wore on, Sarabi became less and less active, and was not a lot of use in hunts anymore. I crawled into a darkened cave to see her. She smiled at me, a mother's smile. Only she could do that.

"Hello darling," she said.

"Hey," I replied, "how're you?"

She smiled weakly, and lay her head down, "How do you think?" she asked.

My heart started pounding in my throat.

"Erm, well, you seem ok to me," I began.

She shook her head, "No, Simba. Don't kid yourself, you know what I mean."

I hung my head. Of course I did. She was old after all.

"I've lived a long life, and I think I fulfilled my duty to you and your father…

It'll be nice to see him again, to feel his warmth again…

But I'll always remember you, Simba, and I'll always be proud, regardless of what happens."

I felt a burning behind my eyes.

"I love you, mom."

"Aideu calls," she said, and rose to the mouth of the cave, very slowly and unsurely. "When we die, our pride has a field we go to, it's a tradition that goes back generations," she said, "it ought to have been my job to show you where, but…"

She never finished her sentence but, padded over silently, gave me a lick on the cheek, and headed out the cave, and away into the distance. I went to the top of Pride Rock to watch her for as long as possible. When she had disappeared from sight, I lay, into the night, listening to the soothing sounds of the savannah. For once, I didn't feel so downcast for my mothers passing on, for I knew she would be with my father, and happy once more. Lost in my thoughts of my dear parents, I lay at peace, for a long time, undisturbed, and didn't return, even for the hunter's kill. Tomorrow it would be my job to inform the pride of Sarabi's whereabouts, but for now, I saw it as my personal secret which I had to share with no one. This was a mother and son thing, and I had a right to keep it secret.


	20. Mothers Meeting

Tanabi's adventures with Usiku continued as time went on. They had taken to each other like wildfire, and Tani wouldn't leave her alone. Whether this bothered her or not, I couldn't tell, and she was unlikely to let her feelings be known to anyone, least of all me, in all honesty. There's something about the life of a rogue that makes their personality and view on life altogether different than a pride lion. They like to keep themselves to themselves, and don't always appreciate company as much as we do. Not only that, but she was surely determined to keep her head down and not cause trouble. She knew her dangerous situation, and that she definitely did not want to cross the line. For this reason, she was never heard to moan at all, or complain about Tanabi!!

As it was, one day, I and a group of lionesses were basking in the afternoon sun on the savannah. Usiku was not there, preferring instead to remain in a shady part of pride rock, out of the way. None of the others had any real problem with this, and we peacefully discussed how things were going.

"She leads a good hunting party, she's taught us a thing or two!"

"Yes, I think it must be her natural stealthiness as a rogue," offered Hulo, "she's used to fighting and hunting on her own, so a team effort must be a real blessing for her."  
"Unless you lot get in the way," I laughed.

I got a slightly sour look from her, and I resolved to keep my mouth shut from that point onwards, and instead listen to what they had to say.

"I'm glad she's settled in," said Nala, breaking the uneasy silence.

"Yes, we're pleased to accept her into our pride, aren't we girls?" said Mtifu.

A murmured approval swept the circle. "I just can't imagine why everyone's treated her so appallingly in the past," said Hulo, finally getting onto a subject which everyone had pondered, but had so far been too shy or scared to ask.

Nala gave me a look. It was true, I probably did know more than most of the lionesses, but I wasn't sure it was really my place to tell them. Nala, it seemed, agreed with me, as she gave me a shushing look, and replied, "Perhaps we shouldn't be so scared and intimidated by her. If we want her to be close to us, why don't we feel free to ask and share all our closest secrets? That's what we have each other for, right?"

There was another stir of mixed nodding and grunting which seemed to indicate that most of the pride did indeed agree with Nala.

Mtifu spoke up. "But won't it be rather intimidating for her to answer any questions, surely we should leave it to her in her own time."

There was quiet gossiping and whispering around the circle. I was burning to say something, but after my last effort, I tried very hard to keep quiet. I realised most of them didn't know about poor Usiku's past and how she was unwilling to let on the pain she felt because of it. Also, she was never likely to get too close to the pride as a whole whilst she still felt there was a chance she might not remain here forever, be it as a result of the River Pride coming after her, or the rebel lionesses, or even by her own choice. As I mulled the thoughts over, the lionesses continued their talking.

"She's so good with the cubs, I wonder if she ever had any herself?"

"Who knows?" said Mtifu quickly, clearly covering up the truth, and I was quite grateful to be honest. She then finished, "I don't think she'd really appreciate us talking about her like this, maybe we should leave it?"

The overall reaction of the crowd was that they were more than prepared to continue the chat, but, in the interests of what Usiku's closest ally and friend wanted, they relented.

The talk moved onto more boring and trivial things, which seemed to interest the lionesses immensely, though I personally couldn't understand the appeal. I lost interest rapidly, and was hoping for a diversion when from behind the circle, the figure of Tanabi waving at me caught my eye. No one else noticed him, and I was pleased of the diversion, so I snuck out of the circle without being noticed (it wasn't really all that hard!) and made my way towards him. Considering he'd only been playing, he looked quite hot and bothered, even worried.

"Hey Dad," he greeted me, "how's the boring mothers meeting?"

I laughed, "Boring," I admitted. He seemed delighted in my answer, and rolled on his back giggling.

"So, what's up? Any problems?" I asked him.

"Not really," he stopped rolling, looking slightly confused, "Why would there be?"

"I thought you looked worried," I said, looking at him seriously.

He smiled, "Oh, that was just a plan to make sure you came and saw me."

What a crafty cub. I'm sure I would never have done something like that…

"And also…"

"Yeah?" I quandered.

"Well, Auntie Usiku looks kinda worried, Dad. She wouldn't admit it though, just carried on playing with me and Sava and Ella as if nothing was wrong, but I know there was. I always know."

I wasn't that surprised. "You have to understand, Tani, that it's difficult for her. Coming into our pride, I mean."

He looked confused. "But why? She gets on with everyone… Except for those ones who left, but they never see her."

"But she's not a pride lion. She's still not fully used to it."

He still didn't understand. He didn't know about rogue lions yet. I didn't consider it the right time to tell him, so I told him not to worry for now, and that I'd explain another time. The Serengeti, in the heat of the afternoon sun, is not the ideal time for frustrating explanations to an impatient cub.

So we left it at that, and he jumped on my back. As we heard Nala calling him for a bath, he climbed onto my shoulders and whispered in my ear, "Please, Dad, take me to the waterhole or somewhere, anything to avoid a bath."

I grinned to myself. Was that me or him talking?! I set off, leaving Nala's call behind. After a distance, Tanabi rolled off my back and started walking along beside me. "You know what, Dad?"

I looked at him, "What?"

"I know there's something weird going on. With Usiku and all that. I'm sensible enough to realise. Sava and Ella, they don't really care. They wonder why I do. But I should care, shouldn't I dad? Because it's important, I can tell, cos of the way everyone hushes up about it all the time whenever I ask," he tailed off, sheepishly.

I sighed. Should I tell him? Should he care? I wasn't sure, but perhaps he did have a right to know after all. On the other hand, could I trust him with the knowledge? Would that put him in danger? Would he give it away to others who shouldn't know? We'd stopped and he was staring at me expectantly, head cocked to one side. "C'mon, Dad."

"Well…" I began, unsure of quite what to say. "Yes, it is kind of important."

Now it was Tanabi's turn to sigh. "Kind of? Come on, you can say more than that."

I lost it, and blurted, "Usiku…she's…she's worried, Tani."

"About what?"

"What might happen to her."

"What might happen to her?"

"Others could come looking for her."

"Is that all?" said Tanabi, sarcastically, no sense of its possibilities.

"Doesn't that worry you, what might happen to Aunt Usiku?"

"Not really," he shrugged, "she's good at looking after herself, and anyway, if that's not good enough, you'll protect her, won't you. No one's any match for you really, are they? No one ever challenges the King."

If only life were as simple as it seemed in Tanabi's world. But perhaps he did have a small point. No one ever challenged the King. Most of the River Pride were even too scared to venture over their borders into the Pridelands. In fact, the only one who had was Usiku herself. Tanabi had bounded off towards the water hole, apparently contented at what he considered only a minor problem being solved. Though I knew different, I ran after him. For now, what was the point in worrying what the future might bring when we could so easily just make the best of what we had. And, by Aideu, what I had could be seen as rather good!


	21. Acception and Rejection

That evening, back in the sanctuary of Pride Rock, I visited Usiku in her cave to one side. She still preferred her own cave, something I couldn't deny her, and assumed that she liked the feeling of it, as if it were her own quarters like she had as a rogue. The cave always had the air of unwelcomeness about it, which I presumed Usiku wanted. She didn't seem too disheartened to see me though.

"Good evening, Simba," she greeted me regally, though not unkindly.

"Hello, Usiku," I said, resting back on my haunches near the mouth of the cave, looking inwards toward her. "How're things?"

She looked thoughtful, "Pretty well, in all honesty," she replied. I wasn't totally sure about the sincerity of her answer however.

"Getting along all right with Tani and company?"

"Yes, fine young cub he is. Sure knows how to get at me, though I try not to show it."

"Yeah," I smiled, "sounds like him, that does."

An awkward silence followed.

"He asked me about you this afternoon," I said.

"Me? What a privilege," she said, without expression. She wasn't going to give anything away.

"Yes. He notices you don't seem… totally - " I struggled for the word.

She sighed and looked at the floor saddened. "I know. I try, Simba, I do. But it's kind of difficult to shake off the past, and even more difficult to shake off the cold feeling of the rebel lionesses who leer at me day by day."

"I appreciate that," I said, "but you know you needn't fear my pride at any rate. Why, only today they were singing your praises in one of their gossiping sessions. They like you Usiku, and they appreciate you and what you're doing. Really they do."

She looked up, half-interested for a change. "Yeah?"

"Yeah," I replied with force. "And perhaps you should come and sleep in our cave. I mean, if you want to, that is. I think it'll help you feel closer and more accepted. Less threat from anyone else in there, if you see what I mean…"

"Yes," she looked thoughtful, "perhaps you are right. Maybe I'll try it. There's a first time for everything right?" She gave an infrequently seen friendly smile, and said "Thank You, King," before strolling past me and into the cave. I turned and watched her go, acutely aware of a rustling in the bush next to me.

Yes, it could be no other.

"Pfff,"

"Pfff…ha…oops…"

A wiggle of the bush again.

Slight bickering and more 'silent' laughter.

"Shh, Timon"

"Hey, you shhh!"

I lost patience. "Really guys, do you follow me everywhere?!"

Pumbaa stepped out slowly, looking suitably abashed (to be honest, he often did) but there was no such look with Timon.

"Oh c'mon Simba, where's all the fun gone in your life? It's all work and no play! You never do anything with your old mates."

I rolled my eyes to the sky and mumbled through gritted teeth, "I wonder why."

"Jeesh, lighten up Simba, just come and see us once in a while. Yeah, sure you have duties. But you look tired. You've lost that sparkle in your eye. You used to love life when you were with us – Hakuna Matata, no worries. Now look at you. Worrier, and about half the lion you used to be!"

"Half a lion's big enough for me," said Pumbaa, "still plenty to go around."

"Pumbaa, you are missing the point!" replied Timon. He doesn't share it around! He spends all his time with Nala or his new girl Watshername."

"And his son, Timon."

"Yeah, exactly! No time for us."

"But family's important."

"So am I….I mean we…. I mean… friends are important too."

Having finally settled on their argument, they looked at me. "So?"

"What do you want me to do or say?" I asked.

"Just promise you'll see us more often."

"I will, I promise. But the pride's got issues at the moment, can't you tell?"

"So it has. Big deal. Sometimes getting away from the problem makes it easier later. Ever think of that?" said Timon, getting quite emotional, and not being his usual light-hearted self. I was thinking that maybe I wouldn't fight this argument to make things better.

Timon stared at me. I looked to Pumbaa. He looked worried, and his eyes filled with tears, "Don't leave us," he squealed, and ran towards me, burying his head into my leg. I patted him on the back. "I won't. Promise."

Timon didn't look wholly satisfied.

I continued, "and I'm sorry guys. But it's kinda hard… you know?"

Timon broke off and dropped his fixated stare. We knew you'd come round. We'll see you tomorrow then, Simba, by the rock maze that Tanabi likes. For old times sake."

I didn't have a chance to argue, and the two of them broke off and went away. Didn't I have enough to worry about without that?


	22. Equilibrium

I returned to the cave in pride rock, thinking. I lay down next to Nala, whilst she gave Tani a bath. He wasn't complaining this time because it was late and he enjoyed sitting in his mother's paws, feeling the warmth of her tongue soothing him softly into sleep. Even if he tried to deny it, his contented soft purring gave him away.

When he'd nodded off, Nala smiled at me gently. It had been a long time since we'd had the opportunity to be alone together, and in some ways I craved to go out to the top of Pride Rock again, just as we'd done before, away from everyone else. I called over Usiku, and asked her to watch over Tanabi for a little while, til Nala and I returned. She agreed, and lay down next to Tanabi while he curled up next to her, and Nala and I stepped out into the evening.

"Things are going OK," she said, smiling the same infectious smile she had smiled inside.

"Yes, just about," I said, encouraging her to follow me to the top.

"So what's the matter?"

"Nothing really. I just…needed an honest talk."

"About what?"

"Everything. How do you think Usiku's going?"

"Good. The lionesses like her, and she even came into our cave today!"

"Yes, I had just a little say in that."

"Really?"

I nodded.

"I'm impressed. I think it's just what was required. She needs to feel wanted and loved, Simba. That's what she's been missing all her life. Here's the only place she'll ever get it."

"I think so too. That's why I talked her into it."

"Just like your father, honourable, truthful and kind," she replied with admiration.

We spent a few moments in silence, nuzzling each other lovingly, not worrying about time, place and circumstance. We discussed the passing of my mother, Tanabi growing up every day and Timon and Pumbaa's feeling of rejection. When we'd finished she laughed and said "It's not easy being a King is it?"

I conceded – No, it wasn't.

A new day dawned on the African plains a few days later. My meeting with Timon and Pumbaa for 'old times sake' turned out to be a bit of a waste of time, but it appeased them suitably to lay off for a while (there are no other details to give about that really). The Pride's unity was strong as ever, and all felt right. On that morning, I went out on patrol, and agreed to take Tanabi, Ella and Sava for a walk. They were getting along fine, I was pleased to see, and whilst Tani and Sava went running onwards, Ella remained behind to talk to me.

"Is it really true, all the stories that Tanabi tells us?" she asked.

"Well… Some of them. It depends what stories."

"He's told Sava and me loads. I don't believe all of them", she said defiantly.

"Oh? Which ones do you believe?"

"Well, er… some of them, like the one about the lion who never gave up."

"Of course," I smiled, "that all?"

"I don't believe the one about his great, great, great grandfather taking on an army of leopards single-handedly."

"No?"

"No," she said confidently, then, rather more unsurely, "its not true, is it?"

"Not exactly. Let me tell you the real story…"

Ella was an exciteable young cub, albeit not so much as Tanabi, and she revelled in the attention that she was given alone. Having a twin sister meant they did a lot together, but rarely was one apart from or in a different place to the other, and they therefore often lacked individual attention, like Tanabi got daily. Both of them, I thought, showed strong qualities for lionesses – friendship, kindness and determination, that would serve them well while they remained in this pride.

We continued our walk round, and Tanabi and Sava joined us when we rested on a rock at the half way point for another story. Ella seemed to have taken a shine to me after the truth about the lion and the leopard army, and held a look of superiority over both Tanabi and Sava, as if to say, "I'm right, you're wrong". None of that bothered the other two though, who merely thought it was a game and rollicked around in the grasses playing pouncing games. Despite this, the three listened attentively to my story, ever eager to listen to the one person they looked up to above all others.

On our return, the three remained close to me the whole way back, eager to show to me how keen they all were. Tanabi, inevitably, couldn't resist showing off to his friends, though he was soon shown up when, after stalking a colourful bird, it turned its head and nipped him with his beak on his nose. Though he wasn't hurt, he rushed back to me squealing. I could understand his pain – nothing hurts more than wounded pride! Ella and Sava delighted in this however, and laughed at him for a long time. Tanabi became rather upset, so I tossed him on to my back where he rode for some of the rest of the way with a look of superiority on his face. The two cubs didn't seem to notice, or care, so he soon stopped.

By the time we returned, the lionesses had been out and got a kill for the morning, catching a large zebra. As was custom, the King was given first choice, though on this occasion, I was happy enough to share the choicest morsels with the three cubs, who greedily accepted my invitation and gorged themselves on the fresh meat. Apparently, the hunt had been so successful that there had been no trouble whatsoever with hunting down this zebra, thanks in no small part to Usiku, as I understood. Contented and full-bellied, Nala, Mtifu and the cubs and I went for a siesta in the sun in a nearby field. Tanabi somehow also convinced Usiku to come, though she had always insisted that this was not really her thing.

Leastways, we did indeed make use of the afternoon sun, and began one of our regular discussions while the cubs played in the rock maze where I'd met Timon and Pumbaa a few days earlier. The moon in which the pride had granted Usiku to prove her worth had been used up, and I had noted with interest the way in which it was not mentioned, such had the pride become used to her presence. Such a point had not escaped the notice of Nala and Usiku either, who gleefully discussed the matter on the way to our usual field. The sun was shining, life was improving, and best of all, there had been no sign of the River Pride at all regarding the mysterious disappearance of one of their members. I saw this only as a good thing, though perhaps on reflection that was unwise.

Expecting nothing out of the ordinary, therefore, I lazed about on the plains as lions are wont to do, enjoying the heat of the sun on my back. The cubs played around us as usual, and took great delight at one particular moment where I had a big yawn and they saw right into my mouth – not something I would recommend trying, but cubs just can't be told! Again, Ella stuck relatively close to me, eager to find out new things, always keen to show me how dedicated she was to becoming a 'good' lioness. She was doing a good job. A very sweet little cub, she appreciated it immensely when I gave her a little scratch round her ears and purred as if to prove this.

Meanwhile, Tanabi and Sava were getting along swimmingly in their favourite rock maze playing a game of hide and seek, though in truth it wasn't Tanabi's strongest game, given his inability to keep himself from giggling every time a 'seeker' got anywhere near. Still, we can't all be good at everything (and I'm still willing to bet he could easily beat Timon and Pumbaa in such a game!). Whilst this continued, the three lionesses spoke in quiet whispers to each other as they often do, and I was content to lie still and watch them do so.

Ella was curious at this custom.

"Don't you find it strange when all the big lionesses do that?"

I shrugged, "not really. It's their privilege after all."

"Is it?"

"Sort of, I have enough of my own, like first choice of the kill, so its kind of fair I suppose that they get time to themselves now and again."

"But they don't talk about anything interesting!"

"Don't they? I've never really been allowed to find out."

"Yeah, they let me stay if I want, but its really, really boring. I even _tried_ to stay interested once."

I laughed inwardly at the thought, "Yes, well. Cubs always no best, I used to think just the same as you – why do adults always spend all their time lazing about when there's so much exploring to do?"

She agreed, "Yeah, that's just what me and Sava think."

"Not Tani?"

"He doesn't always think that much at all really…"

I laughed again at this honest truth about what Ella really thought of the future King, and wondered if she'd change her tune when Tanabi grew a mane and began to look rather more attractive to her than he seemed now. I kept such a thought quiet though, not wanting to entertain thoughts of a Queen when I'd left Tanabi to make the choice himself.


	23. Disruption

At length, Zazu appeared, fluttering manically down to my feet.

"Oh dear Sire, oh dear, it's awful!! Terrible news, absolutely appalling, oh dear oh…"

The lionesses looked over in alarm, and Nala said "Just relax Zazu, and let it come naturally."

He did so.

"Terrible news, sire. Word has reached us of a small group of lionesses in the East, coming with murderous intent into the Pridelands."

I frowned, though I was quite worried at the same time. "Really? When did this information reach you?"

"Oh, the birds from the water hole brought word, sire. The network of flamingo's are on it, but I fear they will not work quickly enough, you must come."

Clearly, Zazu was rather worried. I was too, but tried to keep a calm head on things. I ordered a couple of instructions, "Nala, you go back to Pride Rock and warn the other lionesses; Mtifu, I think you should go to the rebels, you're the only one of us they'll trust in the slightest, and tell them, and Usiku, I think it would be an idea if you stayed here and guarded the cubs in case they come for them."

"What do you plan to do Sire?" asked Zazu, as if he couldn't guess.

"I'm going East!"

We all of us set off in our respective directions, and Zazu followed me, flying alongside me as I bounded towards the Eastern border. A thought struck me as I ran, and I voiced it to Zazu, "Zazu, are we certain that these lionesses actually belong to the River Pride?"

"I don't know, Sire, I've only been passed word on from others. I don't even know if there's any danger in it at all!"

That didn't really seem an option, and I continued onwards, ever wary of what I might have to confront, and their numbers. Still, I consoled myself, in the unlikely event that fighting was necessary, I would have the pride and the rebels to count on, for they disliked the River Pride immensely, and would not pass down an opportunity to banish them or spill their blood.

Eventually, I reached the border, blood pounding in my ears, to see…

Nothing.

Nothing at all, just empty grassland. Even over the border, there was no sign that any lion or lioness had crossed this border in the recent past. I didn't understand. Nor, it seemed, did Zazu - "I don't understand, Sire," he said, unhelpfully.

The two of us stood, looking at the emptiness around us in disbelief, wondering what to do next.

"Perhaps I should go check at Pride Rock, Sire," murmured Zazu tentatively, seemingly aware that he could be responsible for a complete wild goose chase, and clearly he wanted to get away as soon as possible to escape my possible wrath. But I had no such anger, I was too confused by the situation.

I nodded at him, and said, "Yes, perhaps you had. Warn the others that we do not know of the possible attackers, uh – whereabouts."

He went, and I pondered to myself why such a strange occurrence could have happened, but couldn't make head nor tail of it. Then I had a thought. Timon and Pumbaa had been rather quiet recently, hadn't they? Why would that have been? Could they have been planning something? I shut my eyes, realising if that were the case, then they would be in the vicinity right now, watching my reactions with intense amusement.

I opened my eyes again, to be greeted by a chagrined meerkat smile.

"We got 'im!" said the smile, joyously.

"You said it'd never work Timon."

"Ah, how wrong I was, dear Pumbaa," said Timon, putting on a mock sorrowful voice, "the simplest plans invariably work out the best."

I was quite annoyed, in all honesty, but had better sense than to show it. I tried to laugh it off, saying such things as "Yeah, good one guys," and "had to happen some time" but I knew my words sounded ridiculously hollow and insincere because I was so annoyed at myself for being outsmarted by such a pathetic plan which ordinarily would never have any chance of working, plus I had got the whole pride worked up about it to boot.

Timon and Pumbaa revelled in it, "This lion don't need no jungle to sleep in tonight," said Timon, cracking a bad joke, "he's so slow he's asleep all the time, in the grasses during the day!"

I gave him a pained expression at the true awfulness of that one, and even Pumbaa gave a sigh at it. But the jokes continued whilst I walked back to the field I had left earlier to apologise to Usiku for being fooled by a silly prank.

"Oh look Simba, a LION! RUN AFTER IT!! KILL IT!!" shouted Timon, before collapsing into peals of laughter, leaning on Pumbaa for support.

"What's up with him?" asked Pumbaa, looking at Timon, but obviously talking about me.

"Oh he's OK, just a bit of a sour puss," laughed Timon again.

"Do lions always look this angry from behind, or are you a bag of hot wind?" he asked, attempting another joke, and failing another joke also.

That continued for some time until I reached the rock maze again.

Usiku was standing, shoulders slumped, facing away from me. Something was wrong, I could tell immediately. She stared at the ground, not heeding me when I called her. Even Timon and Pumbaa in their jubilation sensed something was not right, and they stood back quietly as I continued forwards.

"Usiku? What's up?" I tried again, but still to no avail. I stood a couple of metres back from her, giving her the space she seemed to need.

Nala and Mtifu approached from behind me, to the same silence as I had been greeted with. They stood alongside, me, not understanding either. Eventually, Mtifu spoke, "Er, Simba, I need to tell you som…"

"Not now," I whispered to her sharply, "later."

Usiku turned her head. There were tears in her eyes. She shook her head, opened her mouth but no sound came out. She shook her head again and went back to staring at the floor. After a long time, she managed to croak, "I'm sorry Mtifu."

"For what?" she replied, puzzled.

Usiku continued in the same expressionless tone, "It wasn't a prank. It was my fault. I'm sorry. I think I should leave. Go somewhere far away."

"No, nobody wants that!" said Nala, trying to raise her spirits, full of good intent.

"You will," said Usiku, and she slowly walked away from us further, heading away, not turning back once.

Nala looked at me as if to say 'what was that about?' Whatever it was, it wasn't good. Mtifu crept forward, making to follow Usiku, but stopped dead at the spot where Usiku had been standing when we'd returned, and let out a cry of anguish. Worried, Nala and I rushed up to her, only to see why. There, a small way away in the patch of grass, was the disfigured body of Ella, caked in blood, clearly dead.


	24. Desertion

Mtifu wailed and fell to the ground. Nala bent to comfort her as Tanabi and Sava appeared from the maze looking petrified. Whilst the cubs snuggled up to their sobbing mothers, I did the only thing that made sense – I went after Usiku, and followed the path she had taken.

I did not have too far to go. Staring at a puddle of water at her own reflection, just as I had done not so long ago, was the downtrodden figure of Usiku, head bowed in sorrow. I think she knew I'd followed, though she didn't budge. I went up and sat beside her, silently. I knew from experience that when you were in this mood you talked when you wanted, and no one would force it from you.

"I told you from the start you wouldn't want me," she said, finally, "that I'd bring a curse on your pride."

"No…" I began.

"I also said that I'd never get your Pride in trouble, that I'd leave if there was any sign that I might put others in danger."

"And I said that we'd…"

"Shh," she said, "and let me finish."

"Well, I got reckless," she continued, "I let my emotions get in the way of my instincts. I knew there'd be trouble eventually. But I liked what I had, it was new and exciting, I didn't want it to end. And I didn't keep a good look out."

"But there wasn't any warning, it happened by chanc…"

"No," she said sharply, "this was not by chance. This was planned and staged somehow. That Jimbala, that tyrant, he knew what would hurt me, and your pride. He must have been watching somehow. He knew that he could wreck my chances with you and myself altogether by killing a cub. The pride would hate me, and I would hate myself for letting it happen."

"Was it Jimbala who killed El…"

"No of course not! Why would he take the risk when he could send one of his precious loyal lionesses?"

Her tone was returning to the nasty way in which she had always addressed me on the border.

"He got me, when I had my guard down! Don't you see? He beat me! Again! My life is ruled by this – this _animal_!"

She swiped at the water with her paw in anger and turned to face me.

"I'm sorry Simba. But I said at the time that I'd walk away if I got your pride in danger. Well, I've done worse than that already, and I'm sorry for it. For now, I'll just leave."

She turned to walk around me. I moved to stop her and stood in her way. She looked at me strangely. "What are you doing?" she asked.

"You're not facing up to the problem," I said, "and I should know. I've been in your situation, I know how this feels, but running from the problem will never make it better."

"Running from it seems a good option to me."

"Well, I won't let you."

She snarled, "then you're as dominating and untruthful as Jimbala himself!"

I stayed stock still.

"I said that the pride offered you protection from any enemies, and I hold by that."

"I don't want it."

"You have no choice."

"The pride won't want me when they find out what's happened."

"What makes you so sure? They forgave me for wrongdoings, and as I pointed out, they like you. They'll want to help."

"They haven't all forgiven you. Some of them don't even live with your pride anymore."

I hesitated. There was a short silence.

"See? You're all better off without me."

I shook my head. "If I let you go, what do you plan to do?"

"Dunno. Find some place far away from here. Live alone, start life afresh."

"Really?"

She raised her head from looking at the ground and stared into my eyes.

"No, I guess, probably no… Hey, how did you know I didn't mean it?"

I said nothing.

"Am I that see-through?" she asked.

"I don't think so," I replied.

"Then how did you know?"

"I didn't. But I've learned about you recently, and I know that's not your style."

"Oh no?! Then exactly what is my style?!" she bared her teeth angrily, slipping into her old mannerisms again.

I backed off, giving her space, "I imagine you're thinking about how to avenge Ella's death. About going back to the River Pride."

She thought for a moment. "Well, perhaps you're right," she conceded, "but I still don't see how I can possibly stay here. I promise for your sake I will not visit the Riverlands, but Simba," she pleaded, "you MUST let me go. I cannot stay here."

"I won't let you go," I repeated tolerantly.

She sighed, and then something behind my back must have caught her eye. She stared over my shoulder. I turned round, expecting to see Nala. What I saw was certainly just about the worst sight I could have wished for in the circumstances. For their, approaching was none other than Shuku herself. She was putting on a grim face, but one which I could tell barely concealed her pleasure. The way she walked and her facial expression reminded me of a hyena.

"Oh dear, Simba. What have we here?!" she slinked up and looked into my eyes gleefully, "it can't be _another _death caused by the rogue can it? Dear, oh dear, she seems to just _attract_ trouble doesn't she?!"

I narrowed my eyes at her, "What's it to you, anyhow? You left my pride."

"Oh, not officially," she said, waving her paw absently, as if to wipe away such a statement, "I still hold the pride's best interests close to my heart."

"Oh?"

"Oh indeed."

I had turned to face her now, silently furious at her presence. This was not what I needed now. Why had I sent Mtifu to see her, and warn her? If I hadn't this wouldn't be a problem! Damn Timon and Pumbaa and their stupid plan which had led to this!

Oblivious to my seething rage which could quite possibly boil over at any minute, Shuku ploughed on.

"Yes, it pains me to see the death of a pride member so young, particularly when someone so trustful was looking after her," her mock sorrowful voice continued, "but the laws clearly state that anyone betraying the pride…"

Usiku roared a full on roar, which must have carried for miles.

In fury, she shouted, "BETRAYAL?! What do you mean?!"

"Temper, temper, dear," said Shuku, unperturbed and unruffled, "you know very well what I mean. You put the life of a younger pride member in danger knowing full well that others were after you! Now that's betrayal I believe."

Usiku's eyes turned to slits.

I interrupted. "On the contrary, I don't agree."

Shuku looked surprised at my interference, "No, and whys that, oh great one?"

"Because I allocated her the task of looking after them."

"Oh-ho-ho," she laughed, "so you admit it? That it's _your _fault? That _you_ betrayed the pride?!"

I frowned. "No," I replied, "Because I consider betrayal walking out on your pride regardless of the circumstances, not trying to help in any way possible, even if the end result isn't what you want," I finished.

She rolled her eyes and turned her head. I felt she was buying time because she was stumped for what to say, though I wasn't sure. She clicked her tongue.

"Well, your majesty must believe as he pleases," she said, "but rest assured the rest of the pride will find out the true events of the night from me, to prove you are not the King they think you are."

"They'll never believe you," said Usiku, standing up for me, loyally.

"No? And whose word do they have, other than mine? A simple rogue who has, in this very season been responsible for two deaths within the pride? Good luck with your version of the 'truth' dear."

And she disappeared back through the grasses, smiling triumphantly.

I turned my head again. Usiku truly did look defeated. As flat a lion as ever I'd seen, and I included myself after my father's death in that statement. She was surely hated from all sides now, and what hope did she feel she had left? My protection? That was wavering, and she knew it all too well. Her best friend had most likely turned against her, and she was left with nothing and nowhere to go. My expression lingered between sympathy, anxiety and anger at the whole situation.

I don't know how long the two of us remained there, but for the moment it seemed that words could not express what either of us felt like or needed to say. In some ways I hoped that either Nala or Mtifu would come through and see us, but, as time went on, that became less and less likely. Whilst Shuku had come, night had fallen, and by now it was pitch black but for the light of the stars. I was tired. I wondered if Usiku was too. My mouth was dry, but I managed to croak out, "What do you plan to do now?"

It sounded callous even as I said it, unwelcoming even. I immediately wished I hadn't.

She looked hurt, but no worse than she had already.

"Seems as I'm not really wanted here, so… you know, I thought I'd… make my own way…somewhere…"

She turned and trudged away gloomily.

Before she got out of hearing distance I called to her, "Usiku?"

She turned to look at me, but uttered not a sound.

"Things will get better here. When they do, promise you'll come back?"

She turned away again and sighed. "_If_ they do," before carrying on walking into the distance, not answering the question.

So I was left alone. I was a mixture of emotions too. Anger, sorrow, pain and logic all flowed through me. I couldn't think of any way to release it, so I ran in a different direction to Usiku and roared as loud as I could at the heavens. I had no doubt that the lionesses at Pride Rock could have heard it and known it was me, but somehow I didn't care. In this case, I needed them to know the stress I was under, and roared at least two more times before staring at the sky again.

I imagined my father in the clouds just as I had pictured him before. But even when I did see him, no words or questions came to me. What advice had I to ask for? I just stared, and the only help I got was that same old simple word, '_Remember'_.

I waited, perhaps even half expecting Nala to come by and offer me redemption by her presence, just as she had in the past, but, as I thought about it, that was unlikely to happen. I had to try and get through this night without her, whilst she looked after our son and consoled her friend Mtifu, before returning to Pride Rock, and presumably learning the story of what had happened as told by Shuku. I wondered if she would buy this false telling of events and what the pride's collective reaction would be. All these thoughts could not shed off my feeling, though, of failure, to Usiku, to Ella, to my mother and father, but most of all, to the pride itself. I sighed and told myself to take faith in the lesson that time was a great healer, before turning and heading back to the ever-present monolith of Pride Rock, heavy hearted.


	25. The Plot Thickens

The mood was naturally subdued the next morning in Pride Rock. Though the events themselves were not spoken of, the air felt as if everyone was moving collectively towards some kind of doomsday. No one questioned me, no one looked around inquisitively, and even the cubs seemed unnaturally quiet and shy, presumably at the loss of one of their friends. The air was so thick, that I took a walk outside, though it was still quite early. Some of the other lionesses had already been up and about, Nala and Mtifu among them. It was to these two that I felt the greatest need to speak.

Wondering where I might find them, I strolled glumly down towards the water hole, expecting Tanabi and Sava to be there with them too. But they were nowhere to be seen. After taking a quick drink, and being aware of some of the other animals looking at me in fear and alarm, I turned around, thinking about where to head next. I looked in Usiku's old cave, but there was no one there, I tried a few of Tanabi's favourite spots, but they weren't there either, and I even took a look back at Pride Rock, where the mood had not improved, and several lionesses were moping about, not knowing what to do, though none asked me for advice, I noticed.

Confounded, I headed for Rafiki's tree, with the vague idea of asking him for his take-on the situation, but before I reached it, Nala was walking alongside me, whispering in my ear, "Sorry, Simba, but Mtifu and I couldn't face Pride Rock at the moment. So we're hiding."

I looked at her, "Where? Can't I come and see you both?"

She looked hesitant, "Well, yes. I'm not sure you'll be thrilled with our hiding place though…"

"It's not important. Where is it?"

"Well, you know how my mum said no one had been back to Scar's cave…"

Surreptitiously following Nala to Scar's cave (she was right, I wasn't too happy, but couldn't argue – they would be undisturbed here at least) I entered to Mtifu, Sarafina and the two cubs who, as I had guessed, were looking more than a little glum.

I gave no sign of my opinion or my mood, not wanting to upset what I could tell was a delicate balance of relative calm. I stood just inside the entrance, whilst Nala went to lay down with them. They looked up at me, but I didn't know what to say. Even Tanabi seemed scared to come near me. An awkward silence ensued, before Sarafina spoke aloud, "Well, where do we start?"

I lay down among them and said, "I'm sorry, but I need to know what you all think happened yesterday, and how you've all been coping with it. And what you think about the pride too…"

"That's a lot, where do you want us to begin?" asked Nala.

"Erm… Anywhere. Start with what happened when you left to inform people of what was happening I suppose."

I was told, briefly, of how Nala came back to Pride Rock, to round up the lionesses and tell them that there was a possible crisis, before Zazu had returned to tell them not to worry, that there had been a simple mistake, and that nothing was wrong. Nala left them, knowing better, and seeked out Mtifu, before returning to Usiku and the cubs to meet me there. From what I understood, no strange goings on were reported, and the pride was deeply shocked to discover later what had happened.

Nala finished, and I got onto what I considered possibly the more difficult, yet equally more important part of the story. I turned to Mtifu. "I'm sorry," I said gently, but I need to know your story too."

She looked at me, bleary eyed. I knew it would have been tough for her. She showed no sign of anger behind her eyes, only sadness, and in some ways, this made me feel worse for the way in which her cubs life had been taken so cruelly from her. I too felt a prickling behind my eyes for her, but held back for my duties were to be strong and make sense of the situation.

"I tried telling you yesterday, because I thought it was strange, but when I went to the rebels, Shuku was the only one not there with them. None of the others there seemed too bothered when I told of a potential intrusion over the borders, though showed a brief panic when I mentioned the River Pride might be involved. Besides this, they thanked me rather too kindly, I felt, for telling them, and sent me on my way, telling me to return if anyone was in trouble. They didn't mention Shuku's absence, and I didn't show that I'd noticed. Anyway, on my way back, before I met Nala, I smelled a strange scent around, which seemed relatively fresh, so I lay low and checked around for any sign of movement. When there wasn't, I began to wonder whether this could have been the trouble and I followed the scent, which led back to the rock maze anyway, meeting Nala on the way."

"Uh huh," I pondered, wondering myself about the Shuku connection. And when I returned, neither of you too knew that the 'crisis' was naught but a diversion to get us away from Usiku?

"No," they both answered truthfully.

"And Mtifu, did you lose the scent when you reached the rocks?"

"Yes, there'd been too many others around."

"Right…"

There was a moments silence while I considered this new information. But before I could make any more conclusions, I needed to ask some other friends a few questions (yes, namely Timon and Pumbaa) and also explain my part of the story.

The three of them were dumbfounded when I revealed the hoax crisis to be a prank from Timon and Pumbaa.

"They'd really do a thing like that?!" said Nala, loudly, "I mean, I know they're not clever, but its unlike them to use something that serious as a prank."

"The thing that got me about it," I explained, "is that they wouldn't even know. They don't pay any attention to what goes on in the Pridelands. All they care about is food and easy living."

"So how'd they know about the threat of a River Pride invasion and what it mean to you?"

"Exactly. That's what's bothering me. I need to see them, except, something tells me they might be hard to find after pulling a stunt like that."

"Yeah…"

"But this Shuku thing, that's interesting too," I explained.

Mtifu looked up sharply, "Oh, why's that?" she asked, though not forcefully.

"Beca – Because, well, she turned up herself after I'd gone to find Usiku."

Nala and Mtifu were horrified.

"She DID?!" Mtifu said, furiously, "then she _must_ have something to do with it!"

She gasped for breath, "what did she say anyway?"

"She was, er – complimentary – about me and Usiku, as you can imagine."

"Usiku…" began Mtifu, touching upon something that I'd been wondering – namely, her reaction to her best friend after yesterday – "what happened to her? Did Shuku chase her off?"

"Er, well. Not exactly."

She stared at me quizzically, willing me to continue.

"Well, that is, Usiku was planning to leave anyway, except I wouldn't let her."

Nala nodded, as if in agreement with what I'd done. Mtifu's face remained devoid of any emotion towards Usiku.

"But Shuku turned up, and threatened her, and called her a traitor, and I rather think, after that, Usiku was too afraid to remain."

"So she left?"

I nodded.

"Where did she go?" asked Mtifu.

"I don't know. I didn't ask and she didn't say. But I don't think she knew anyway."

Still, Mtifu hadn't given anything away. I looked at Nala, who gave an 'I-don't-know-either' look, before turning back to Mtifu.

"That Shuku! Wait til I see her!"

"Er, Mtifu?"

"Yes?"

"There's another problem with Shuku and the Pride."

"Oh?"

"Yes. She went back to Pride Rock and gave, uh – 'her events'. So now, I imagine that many of them believe Usiku was to blame and Shuku had no part."

"You imagine they do? Haven't they been talking about it all night and all morning."

"No."

There was surprise from all quarters.

I explained, "I think they were worried about it, about what discussion or action might trigger off. There's a big fear at the moment. They all think something huge is about to happen."

"And is it?"

"I don't know."

"This isn't good," Sarafina spoke aloud.

"No," I agreed, "and another problem is, I don't know who was really responsible for the death of Ella."

Mtifu narrowed her eyes, "What exactly do you mean by responsible?"

"I mean, that I know it was a River Pride lioness who carried out the killing, but I think there's more to it than just getting to Usiku. She said it herself, Usiku did – that this wasn't a coincidence that she was left alone with the cubs. It was planned."

"Planned," Mtifu spoke the word allowed, "Oh dear, we should have seen it coming, oh yes we should."

I looked at her, and shook my head, "None of us saw it coming. We were all off our guard. I don't agree that we should have been looking for it. We have to look to the future, not worry about a past catching up with us all the time."

"Did Usiku see it that way?"

"Of course not. Did you expect her to?"

"No. I expect she's burning inside right now."

"She is."

"I wish I could see her."

She said no more, and I didn't want to push her into anything, so we left it at that.


	26. Tanabi Speaks

Throughout our long conversations, the two cubs had sat quietly in Sarafina's lap, trying not to be noticed. My eyes fell upon them for the first time. Sava looked away in fear, but Tanabi stared back, little red eyes rubbed and marked with grief. He didn't say anything, but he clambered out and came to see me, climbing in between my front paws and resting his head on one of them. He said nothing, but gradually faded into a light sleep. I became aware of how tired I was, and yawned loudly. Nala said to me that I deserved a rest, and I lay down my head too, desperate to escape this world of pain and misery that I currently lived in.

When I awoke, no one seemed to have changed their position. The three lionesses were sitting around looking worried and worse for wear, whilst Tanabi lay with his head still resting on my paw, though I realised from his breathing pattern that he was no longer asleep. I raised my head, and yawned, before lying back in an upright position. Still no one spoke, or made any movement.

Tanabi climbed up my front leg, and came close to my ear, whispering in it, "Can we go for a walk, Dad?"

I obliged, rising onto my four feet and heading out of the cave. Again, no one questioned where I was going, such was the mood inside the cave.

Tanabi and I exited, being careful no one could see us leaving so as not to give away our 'hiding' place. We headed out into the Serengeti, where the afternoon sun had just cooled, and it was making its way towards the evening. I waited for Tanabi to say something first.

"Has Aunt Usiku really gone?"

"Yes, Tani. I said she was worried, didn't I? Seems like she was right to be."

He didn't look too happy. "I was wrong, saying that there wasn't a problem, wasn't I? I'm going to be a terrible King."

"Don't worry, son. We all make worse judgements sometime in our lives. Besides, it was my fault for leaving her alone."

"But it wasn't your fault," he insisted, "and it wasn't hers either."

Suddenly some thought struck me.

"Tanabi, do you know something that we don't?"

"Sort of…"

"Spit it out. Please."

"Well, when Sava and I, we were hiding from Ella, in a game. See, no one knew where we were. So the lions that came didn't make any move for us. But we saw them move towards Usiku and Ella."

"Didn't you warn them?"

"We didn't know they were there to hurt anyone. Besides…" he hesitated.

"Yes?"

"I thought I recognised one of them."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. I'm sure I saw Shuku there."

My mouth fell open. Every moment, the plot was thickening. Yet at the same time, I was strangely surprised that Usiku neglected to mention Shuku's presence.

"Did Shuku actually kill Ella?"

"No. She didn't do much at all, she seemed to be keeping look out. I stayed hidden to watch her, whilst Sava crept back to Usiku and Ella to tell them what had happened."

"Really… So Shuku was keeping a guard out. How long did she stay there."

"Well… I don't actually know. I ran back when I heard Usiku shouting and another lioness screeching."

"What did you see when you got back?"

"Two lionesses leaving, and one staying talking to Usiku. Me and Sava, we stayed hidden cos we thought that would be more use."

"Could you hear what they were saying?"

"No."

I clicked my tongue in annoyance, though not at Tanabi.

"Did you notice anything else?"

"Well, we thought the other lioness could smell us at one point, so we went to hide. When we next came out, it was when you were back."

"OK. Thanks, Tani."

We'd been walking slowly. He stopped and looked at me.

"I can't believe I'm never gonna see Ella again," he said, voice wavering.

"You will, Tani. She'll never truly leave you, remember? She'll always be inside you, like all the ones you love. When you next look at the stars, Tani, imagine one of them is her, looking down on you, and take heart from it."

He looked downcast, but said, "I will, Dad," bravely.

By nightfall, I was feeling tired again, but rather than staying with Nala and Tanabi, decided I had to return to Pride Rock and try and quell any bad feeling or worry there. So, after returning Tanabi back to Nala, I reluctantly made my way up to the collective cave, wondering what I'd find.

What I'd not expected was to see Shuku addressing the Pride as one, as if to take my place. I appeared from behind her, and the other lionesses caught my gaze first. Gradually, as she became aware that less and less people were listening to her, she span round to face me.


	27. Pride Rock

"Aha, the wanderer returns!" she said delightedly.

"Yes. I'll have my throne back now, if that's alright," I said defensively.

"Just standing in whilst you, er, did what you had to do… Whatever that was."

"Yes. Thank you for your, _help,_" I forced the word out through gritted teeth.

Shuku stepped down and took her place among the other lionesses. Before I'd had a chance to speak, one of the lionesses put a question to me.

"Is it true? Is Usiku gone?"

"Yes, that is true."

"And what of Mtifu? Has she been killed?"

"No, that is not true. She is keeping her distance to avoid such questions in the face of her loss."

There was a short silence as they all contemplated this move.

"Do you have any other questions?" I asked.

"Only one," piped up a young lioness who had remained in our pride even when the rebels had left.

"Go on," I encouraged her.

"What is it you plan to do – with Usiku now?"

"With Usiku? I plan to leave her be."

This was not greatly received.

"Why, would you not have that so?" I asked.

"She is responsible for the death of two pride members," smiled Shuku, wickedly, "most would not see that as a suitable punishment."

"I don't see that a punishment should be fixed before we know the full details," I announced. Most of the pride wouldn't disagree with that, and none objected to what I said.

"But the Pride know the details," said a dismayed Shuku aloud, "I told them the story."

"You told them _your_ story," I reminded her, "that can't be taken as the truth until I've spoken to everyone. Or do you know better than me because you were there whilst it all happened?"

I asked the question, trying not to give away that I knew she had been present, but to give her the sharp shock of wondering whether I knew all the same. She backed down, accepting that what I said was right as the pride saw it, though she gave me an icy stare as she did so. I suspected this was in response to my suggestion that she knew more than she was letting on, though I hadn't made it blatantly clear.

"Will you tell us the story then?" asked Hulo.

"I will, to the best of how I understand it happened."

I did so, omitting only the details of Timon and Pumbaa's practical joke, and Shuku's presence. The others sat and listened, not questioning. The atmosphere was again thick. If I didn't know better, I'd have half been expecting there to be a mutiny there and then. Yet, somehow I knew, there was something bubbling under which I sensed, yet couldn't quite put my claw on what it was. One thing I knew, was that I had to get to the bottom of it, for my own peace of mind.

The morning dawned the next day, and I had remained in Pride Rock to try and keep a lid on things. It seemed the rebels had left sometime during the night, and I was happy for it – at least without their presence any other lioness who felt the need could come up and talk to me personally without worrying what others would think. As it was, a couple did come up to me, admitting to me that they felt the loss of Usiku hard, and that they had grown used to her presence, as well as pledging their allegiance to the pride no matter the consequences.

But a morning at Pride Rock always meant one thing – a patrol with Zazu – though for once I was more than prepared to take this patrol, needing as I did the chance to discuss what had been happening with him. I was eager to see his take on things, especially as he had been indirectly involved in the 'false alarm' incident. So we set off, away to the border, across the Serengeti, deep in discussion.

"What do you make of it all, Zazu?"

"Sire, I just don't know. It seems Usiku was trapped in a dead end situation, and she was always in trouble, and the River Pride, well, the River Pride I…"

"Hey, Zazu. Slow down."

"Sorry Sire. The River Pride – I rather think they were after revenge towards you rather than Usiku."

"Really?"

"Yes, Sire. You heard Usiku say, didn't you? That Jimbala wasn't so much interested in what he had as what he could have?"

"Er…"

"Well, he saw her desertion as more of a persuasion on your part than being on her own head, I believe."

"Yes… Then he set out to make me pay for it… But why kill Ella? And why even bring Usiku into it if he didn't care about her anymore?"

"Pure coincidence, I'd wager. As for Ella, well, I'm thinking he was after your Tanabi sire."

"Tanabi?! Oh dear!" I wondered how I'd react if it had been Tanabi who'd been killed. Badly, probably.

"Yes, you see? If he'd have got Tanabi, where'd you be right now? Mourning for the death of your prince. He'd have you where he wanted you – at his mercy, totally. But for now, his plan hasn't worked perfectly."

"It's had some desired effect – it's unsettled the Pride still further. Something's gonna happen – for good or bad – you mark my words Zazu."

"What do you plan to do about it, Sire?"

I thought for a moment, "for now, I can't do anything. I mean, I have reason to believe that something strange is going on with the rebels…"

"Yes, I wondered that too."

I looked at him for a moment. "Why's that?" I asked.

"Well, the network of flamingo's who set red alert the other day, they… they get frustrated and worried quite easily. If someone wanted them to panic and spread the word, all they'd have to do would be to whisper a word in one of them's ears and it'd be all over the Pridelands like a swarm of flies."

"So where do the rebels come in?"

"They'd be among the few who know of the flamingo's manner. The River Priders certainly wouldn't."

I was thinking hard.

"And another thing – if the flamingo's rumours are spread like wildfire, could that explain why Timon and Pumbaa were involved in this supposed crisis?"

"Possibly, Sire. I'm not sure that fits totally though, they seemed to be sure where you were going. It's too convenient that all that was chance."

"Yes, I agree… I really need to find those two. Could you help with that Zazu?"

"Certainly, Sire. Where would you like me to tell them to meet you?"

"If you find them…say…among the acacias at high afternoon sun."

"I'll do that. What are you going to do?"

"A couple of things I must attend to. I'll see you later Zazu."

He flew off, surveying the landscape from his great height. My plans didn't amount to much. There were a few things I now wanted to do. One was to visit the Eastern border, to see if there was anything there suspicious, or a chance to converse with a River Lander and force them to divulge any information which might be useful. The other thing had been bothering me for some time. When I'd met Rafiki one day, he'd made a prediction to me about how Usiku would bring trouble. Well, he'd been right, and now I needed to know more. Whether he would tell more was a different matter entirely, however. I decided to visit him first, mainly because I wanted to delay a visit to the Eastern border for as long as possible.


	28. To The Tree And The Border

I approached his tree, to see him sitting beneath it in one of his typical meditation poses. I knew better than to rouse him from it, so I stood back, staring at him. He didn't bat an eyelid for a long time. But I knew that he knew I was there. He was a great one for patience was old Rafiki. If something troubled you, he could help, but you had to prepared to wait. For a long time.

Suddenly, without moving his body an inch, his lips spoke, "King Simba. You have come here for assistance, have you not?"

"I… have, Rafiki. You have served our pride for many moons, and we are always grateful for it, but something you said recently has me worried, and not just for my own safety, but the existence of the pride." The words were true, though I wouldn't admit as such to any other inhabitant of the Pridelands, and that included Nala.

"Ah yes…" he said quietly.

It was important not to disturb him too quickly, and to treat him with great respect. Whilst he would still help and be perfectly kind if you were impatient or rude, he had some kind of overwhelming power over you that made you regret it, and resolve to try a different tack next time.

"You are wondering what I said about you and Nala having the situation under control? You doubt that statement?"

"Er, no. That wasn't why I ca…"

"But that is the most important thing, do you not see. Have belief in your self and good things will happen, King Simba."

"Yes, I accept that, but…"

"Nothing else matters," he said suddenly, jumping up and climbing into his tree. Not being particularly well endowed with climbing capabilities I was unable to follow him, so remained below looking upwards.

"I needed to ask you something else," I said, more loudly, "Do you know what has happened in these lands recently?"

His head popped down through some of the branches, and he held it close to mine. "Yes, I know something has gone wrong. I feel it through the winds. There is darkness upon the crest of them. But it is not to be feared. Do as I say and you will lead the Pridelands to the light."

"But…"

"Have faith," he said, and disappeared into his branches.

Feeling rather aggrieved at his help, I set off for the Eastern border, not really concentrating. Sure, keeping faith was all well and good if I knew what was happening. But how could I keep faith when I was forever worried about a mutiny just round the corner? I never knew what was coming next, it wasn't that easy.

"It's never easy!" said a voice from in front of me. I stopped abruptly and looked up, startled. With relief I realised that comment was not directed at me. I'd reached the Eastern border and over the line were two lionesses facing away from me. They hadn't realised I was there yet. I kept quiet and stalked into some nearby long grass whilst they continued their monotonous chatter. By laying low, I hoped to find out something I may not have done had I distracted them.

From what I could tell, these two were young and inexperienced lionesses. It seemed they were put on border patrol because they were not capable of anything better. I doubted very much whether they had been involved in the events of the other night – somehow I couldn't see any King, least of all Jimbala, from what I'd heard, who would set these two out on a difficult or dangerous mission. They were still young and had a life ahead of them, and in some ways I pitied that they would grow up under a cruel King like Jimbala.

I took to listening to their inane chatter, hoping to find some information among the other rubbish. When I had almost given up hope after they had ploughed on for some time, suddenly the name was mentioned – '_Usiku'_. I flattened my ears towards them and listened intently.

"They say that she was there, that Chunta spoke to her as she carried out Jimbala's orders!"

"I heard so too. Apparently their King had set her to protect the cubs! I'd heard he was stupid, but that's just plain crazy!"

They laughed together. I restrained myself from feeling angry, telling myself they were merely misguided, and that they knew no better. They got back to their talking.

"Mind, we wouldn't have had much luck without all that help."

"Yeah, she pulled through for a change – perhaps that sort are good for something after all!"

"_There's_ something I'd never thought I'd hear!"

Time wore on, and I noticed that the sun had gone well past its highest, when I was due to meet Timon and Pumbaa, but I couldn't leave now. Any time soon, they could reveal something important.

My patience was rewarded when another, older lioness appeared out of the grasses and approached them from their side. She sniffed the air inquisitively. I suddenly realised I was lying upwind from them! If she smelled my scent, she'd know there was a male nearby! I frantically shifted myself away from where I was sitting, and headed round to a place where I couldn't see too well, due to an intruding rock, but I knew I was safe from being smelled out. I could also hear what they were saying perfectly well.

"Don't you smell anything odd, girls?"

A silence seemed to indicate, that, no, they did not smell anything odd.

"Oh, hmm. Just me then… Here to relieve you from border duty?"

"Oh, right."

"Been out here for three days? Missed out on all the hot gossip?"

"Well, we've heard rumours…"

"Oh-ho, you've got some things to be told!"

"Won't you tell us?"

"Well, why not?! It seems that a dear cub of the Pridelanders was unfortunately taken - ill, shall we say? They aren't happy as I understand it. Oh no, a little bird tells me there is a little trouble brewing under over there! And partly in thanks to our dear ally!"

My blood was boiling, I was furious that they could discuss my lands like this, when we'd been so gracious to them in the past, admitting them to some extra land in order they would not starve in the rainy season. They loathed us and me, that I could cope with , but to laugh at the death of an innocent cub made me furious, and I became ever more angry as it became apparent that there was more than a little help coming from inside my own land to carry out their plans. It didn't take a genius to work out who it was.

At that moment, a small bird flew down to my shoulder. I didn't realise it had much to do with me, until I noticed that it was giving crazed signals by butting its head. I wondered if Zazu had anything to do with him, and I whispered, "Did Zazu send you?"

"Yes," the bird replied, "he sends word that Timon and Pumbaa have been spotted. They are on their way to the acacias now."

I nodded, and said, "Thank you… what's your name?"

"Qazi" he told me. And he flew off, regally, though not drawing attention toward himself.


	29. Final Piece Of The Jigsaw

I left the border crawling stealthily away through the grasses, until I figured I was out of sight from the border, then ran as fast I could back to the acacias, to try and burn some of my anger away before I faced my two friends.

As I sprinted up the final stretch, Timon and Pumbaa were there already, sitting waiting for me.

"Gee, Simba, what's the rush?!" asked Pumbaa, quietly.

"I had…excess energy," I lied, poorly. They knew I was lying, they knew me well enough for that.

"You always cross your front paws when you lie, Simba," said Pumbaa, matter-of-factly.

"I do not!" I said crossly, not realising their plan to butter me up before I came down on them for the other day.

"You do," said Timon, crossing his arms and nodding with self-importance. He was standing on Pumbaa's back as usual.

"Well, I – er –" I began.

"Y'see. Even you know."

"Well, anyways, guys, I don't wanna get mad at you or anything, but…"

"Oh, here it comes," said Timon.

"We don't believe you won't get mad," said Pumbaa, worriedly, "it _was_ an accident."

"Uh huh," I hurried to get my words in before they could interrupt, "that's as maybe. I'm not blaming you."

Their incessant chatter stopped when I said those words.

"You're not?!" they chorused.

"Great!" shouted Timon.

"Redemption!" shouted Pumbaa.

Timon looked at him, "What?!"

"Redemption, it's when…"

"GUYS! Please be quiet, this is important!"

They shut up and stared at me.

"Go ahead, yer maj," said Timon, leaning back on his elbows, lying on Pumbaa. His comment made me cringe but I tried not to show it.

"You know how you tricked me, so – uh – tremendously?"

"Yep, good weren't it?"

"Wonderful. How did you get the idea for such a tremendous trick?"

"Er…" Timon looked shifty, "we… thought it up ourselves."

I frowned, and Timon continued, "I – er, well, that is, Pumbaa thought it up."

Pumbaa whimpered, "Don't lie, Timon, he looks real angry."

"Ok, then maybe we overheard some people chatting, they knew how to get you out the way, Simba. It sounded good, so we thought we'd steal their plan."

"How?"

"By telling a flamingo that a lion had entered at the Eastern border."

OK, that made sense, as far as…

"OK, fair enough… but how did Shuku know about your plan?"

"Shuku, who's she?"

Oh dear, I could see where this was going.

"She's a rebel. I'm sure she was involved the other night," I explained.

"Well, we did tell one lioness where we were going, what our plans were, but her name wasn't Shuku, no, she wasn't a rebel!"

I shut my eyes and patiently said, "What _was _her name, Timon?"

"Now let me think… No I don't remember…"

"Ok, then, what did she look like?"

There was silence.

"Guys?"

"I dunno," Timon blurted, "all lionesses look the same to me!"

"Superb," I said sarcastically.

"Hang on, Oh! Yeah, I got it! Her name was Shufu!" said Timon in a sudden moment of inspiration.

"Shufu…" I repeated, before opening my eyes and rolling them to the sky. "Great work, guys."

"Why, what'd we do wrong?" said Pumbaa, seemingly, still not understanding, though perfectly innocent as usual. After all, how could he tell the difference between 'Shuku' and 'Shufu'?

"Oh, nothing major," I assured them with sarcasm, "just set the plans in motion without the need for Shuku to even get involved."

"What plans?" said Timon.

I sighed. "Just – don't worry Timon. Just promise for now, one thing?"

"Sure, Simba?"

"Lie low for a while. Don't come near Pride Rock, until I come find you."

"O…K…"

I shook my head at them and said, "Sorry guys, its for your own safety. For now."

I left, turning towards Pride Rock, but planning to head for Scar's cave to see Nala and Tanabi.

I went over everything in my head, and realised to myself that I couldn't hold much against Timon and Pumbaa. As ever, they were innocent and honest enough, but they didn't seem to grasp the concept of responsibility sometimes. I vowed not to hold it against them, but to keep their involvement quiet from any other lions, though Shuku would be bound to know. Which reminded me… Shuku. I was in no doubt it was her now, so much evidence I'd found to point the claw of blame at her. Shuku…

That treacherous fiend was still gleeful in her manner. She didn't yet know that I'd found out how she had helped to get the Riverlanders into the Pridelands. Well, she was in for a shock some time. Yet, as I mused over these possibilities, a thought did strike me. What exactly turns someone toward such betrayal and treachery? I hadn't been that bad a King, had I? Had conditions really been so bad as to turn her to betrayal? To the River Pride, our greatest enemies? I couldn't understand anyone's possible motive for doing so, when the only exit is pain and rejection. If my some miracle she did come begging to me for forgiveness in the future, what should be my reaction? And what of the other rebels whom she had led along the road for so long? Why had she turned this way? She used to love me when I was a cub!

Being King was not easy, and now I appreciated any help I could get more than ever. But, as I threw up the possibilities as to who I could turn to in my predicament, it came to me. If someone on this earth was not able to help me, and certainly in her present state Nala was no use, along with countless other of my closest subjects, should I turn to the Kings of the past? I decided that, yes, though they were always there to guide me, I should always be responsible for my own decisions, and act as I saw fit. The same word echoed around my head, 'Remember'.

My mind flew back to that night with my father when we'd lay under the stars:

"Just remember, Simba, that those Kings will always be there to guide you."

Guide me?

Exactly – guide me. Not tell me, guide me. I had to follow my own heart, and for once I knew exactly where my heart was pointing me…

I entered the cave, and the five lions were still moping around in their insignificant way. I knew they could not continue this behaviour if we were to keep the Pride strong, and I knew just the one to help me with what I needed to do…

"Tanabi, come outside?"

"Yes, Dad."

We left, heading out into a deserted grassland.

"How do you feel, Tani?"

"Um… good I guess. That is, I still miss Ella, and mum and Mtifu still don't seem too happy and won't cheer up or anything," he said it with his tail held low and his ears flattened which gave away that he was not as perky as he usually was.

"Yes," I said calmly, "I imagine so." I was quiet for a second. Then, "Tani, do you think you could help me with something?"

"Er… I suppose."

"Good. First, there's one thing I need you to realise."

"What's that?"

"You know how when you're sad, or angry, and you're all bunged up inside?"

"Yeah, I feel like that now," he admitted.

"Yes, that's natural. Never be ashamed of it," I told him, "it's healthy for all of us to feel pain sometimes. But sometimes we need to release that pain. Do you know how to do that?"

He looked confused. "Well…"

"We roar, Tani. It works, trust me, you have to try it."

He looked at me quizzically, disbelievingly. And he stayed quite still.

"Go on, try it," I encouraged him.

True, his roar was relatively pathetic, still being quite young as he was, but it seemed to have the desired effect. In Tanabi himself, not only did the roaring itself help him, the idea of having something to concentrate on did too.

He finished.

"So, how's that feel?"

"Better," he said, surprised, "How does it work?"

"I don't know," I admitted, "Perhaps you could ask Rafiki one day?"

He didn't seem too impressed with this idea. "That'd take ages," he said confidently, "Rafiki doesn't talk enough."

"Don't you remember the lesson about the monkey who talked a lot but never made a lot of sense? When Rafiki does talk, you know he's…"

"Oh yeah, sure Dad," he said quickly, clearly not in the mood for lectures. I couldn't blame him.

"Now, what I need you to do is, go get Sava and tell her to come out and play, and do the same to her. Get her to roar. See if it makes her better? Will you do that?"

He looked at me, head tilted sideways. "Of course Dad. You didn't need to show me first, you know."

I laughed at his keenness and went with him back to the cave. He left with Sava and I was alone with the lionesses.

"You three?"

"Yes?"

"How long do you intend to stay here?"

They all shrugged.

"Listen, I know it's hard. Really, I do. But I – we, have to set an example to others. Show that we have to put things behind us no matter what – look to the future, face up to the problem. We've been running from the problem of the River Pride for too long, and we've got to do something about it!"

My words rang truer in their ears than I heard them in mine, though they didn't budge.

"Please? You're my three closest helpers, I need you to help lead the way. Tanabi and Sava are onto it, can't you see their bravery too? They're young but they're doing all they can, will you not do the same?"

Sava and Tanabi returned, right on cue, at that moment. They were clearly feeling slightly better, if a little weary. But, what I had hoped for was for their efforts to be evident to Nala and Mtifu, to inspire them. Tanabi looked at Nala, and said "C'mon Mum, get up. It helps to roar when you're feeling low y'know…"

We'd hit the problem. They rose one by one with fire and resolve in their eyes. This was what I needed. But, in order to not sound too callous, I realised I also needed to show a bit of compassion and support. I turned to Mtifu.

"Mtifu, I am sorry," I said, truthfully, "I do appreciate your loss, and hold you close to my heart in your testing time. I have reason to believe that Shuku was indeed involved in her death and so her fate will be decided by you when the time comes. I also appeal to you and say that I hope, should Usiku ever return, that you will find it within your heart to forgive her, though I appreciate that this is your prerogative to decide."

She looked at me honourably, before declaring, "You are a good brave King, Simba, and I would do as you will."

I smiled at her. Right from the beginning, I'd known her close friendship would prove important. Now, that was being proved.

I looked at Nala with love. I needed no words to say to her. She knew that what I was doing was right, and she was prepared to follow me to the end, I saw it in her eyes. I was pleased to have her with me, and nuzzled her – something which in the last few days I had been missing incredibly. It was a tender moment, but I didn't have time to dwell on it.

"What've you done with our son?" she asked, though not accusatively.

"I taught him a lesson," I said confidently, "And now he's used it on you."

My eyes fell upon Sarafina. I opened my mouth to say something, but she interrupted. "You are right, Simba. We must all face up to our past some time. I am prepared for anything, even if it does involve the River Pride."

I knew what she meant, and said nothing in return. The group of us stepped outside and headed for Pride Rock. The lions on the rock saw us coming.

"Don't be afraid of what they have to say," I told the group, "tell them that we as a Pride must work together."


	30. Meeting Of Fate

Our reunion with the Pride couldn't really have gone better. My plans to unite us as one had seemingly worked. I once again believed that all would fight for each other, just as we had when we had beaten off my evil uncle Scar. Now, all that remained was to make peace with the rebels. Except for Shuku. I had some talking to do to her. I reminded myself that the one rebel who had shown any resemblance of respect for me was Terema. I vowed to find her and ask to find Shuku so I could confront her over what had happened just the other day.

I managed so. The rebels had become disillusioned and confused by Shuku's continued absences, and eventually had agreed to come back to the pride as a whole. With their support back in place, I knew there was trouble still brewing under in the East, but I knew I had to do something about it. Terema did, in fact, volunteer to find Shuku and set up a meeting for me, and I was indebted for it. I vowed to remember it for the future.

A few days later, in the afternoon sun, I set out, supposedly alone for a spot to meet with Shuku and ask her questions which needed answering. I noted with interest and alarm that her chosen spot was near to the Eastern border. No coincidence, I thought to myself as I stood alone in a suitable place. I wondered what the day would bring come sunset, and decided that should Shuku refuse to comply with any demands, I would banish her from the Pridelands, to go where she would.

As I reached the designated spot, I sat back and waited, motionless, for Shuku to arrive. I waited for a long while, but I didn't move. I wanted her to know that I was not prepared to run from my problems any longer. By sitting still, I figured it would indicate a show of force towards her, with the slight possibility that it might also be intimidating.

The place I was in was a small rocky alcove, dusty and fairly secluded. Lions didn't generally come here, as there were no herds that ever came for the spot was not ideal for growing things, nor was it anywhere near the waterhole. It was a sort of valley, with rises on each side, which, though it may have been possible to climb down, would be very challenging to climb up. I planned an escape route up them, should the necessity arise. I hoped it wouldn't.

At length, as the sun was slowly descending from high-sun, Shuku padded round the corner and stood in front of me. Her face gave nothing away – she showed neither fear, nor delight, nor even the smugness that had polluted her face so often the last few times I had seen her.

"King Simba," she said, sarcastically.

"Shuku," I replied, deadpan. If she wasn't going to give anything away, then you could be damned sure I wasn't.

"You called?"

"I did. I believe we have a few things to discuss."

"Do we now?"

"Yes," I said, firmly.

"What are these… things?"

"I think you know. Or would you rather I spelled it out for you?"

"Perhaps that would be a good idea."

"Fine. I want you to tell me what involvement you had the other day, when Ella was killed."

"Involvement?" she laughed, "I was merely concerned for the safety of you all when I returned to my sisters and they told me of this dreadful crisis!"

"I don't believe you. You lie," I said, with resolve.

Her smile weakened slightly.

"It would be extremely dishonourable of me to _lie_! And I, if nothing else, can always be considered honourable, can I not?"

"You tell me. I used to think so."

"You see. You used to trust me, so why not now?" She played the innocent. I could see her game.

"Why not now? Well, how about the fact that you were present at the rock maze when Ella was killed?"

I watched her face intently, searching for the first sign of weakness and panic.

"Present? I came only later."

"That's a lie, Shuku. You were seen there. And I know you weren't with your 'sisters'."

"Seen? How could I have been seen? Usiku was far too preoccupied with…" She stumbled. "That is, I've been told that she was too preoccupied with the River Pride lioness."

"Oh really? Who told you that?"

She avoided the question.

"I don't understand why you try and lay the blame on an innocent anyway," she tried a different tack, "when your dear closest friends – a _meerkat _and a_ warthog_ no less - led you astray to leave Usiku and that poor defenceless cub at the mercy of those Riverland thugs."

Which might have been a fair question. Except…

"But those friends tell me they stole the idea off someone else. Do you know who that someone else was, Shuku?"

"I can't begin to imagine…" she said slowly. I sensed my advantage and pressed ahead.

"I've also been down to the Eastern border since, to do a little bit of eavesdropping. And I heard a couple of interesting things, Shuku. It seems the Riverlanders got a bit of inside help to get in here. Now why's that? Who could it possibly have been?"

I advanced on her, pressing her for an answer, anger burning inside, yet still trying to hide it.

She stood her ground. Then a mock look of realisation came across her. She mimicked a gasp. "I've got it!" she said breathlessly, "all this while that silly bitch Usiku has been playing you for a fool! She's been an insider Simba! So, what you're saying is, I've been right all along? I was right to distrust her, and to go against your supposedly superior judgement? Is _that _why you brought me here? So you could thank me in private and wouldn't have to feel embarrassed in front of everyone?!"

I was suddenly flabbergasted. _Could_ it have been Usiku? I ran through the evidence in my head. The lionesses on the border – they just said "Our ally" and never mentioned a name. Tanabi hadn't said he'd seen Shuku, just that he'd seen a lion who wasn't a Riverlander.

Though much of what she said was probably ludicrous, suddenly the thought of Usiku being responsible didn't seem so silly after all. She'd been left alone, hadn't she? If this had been her plan all along, then it would have been the perfect time to do it. And why had she wanted to get away so soon after it had happened? To escape from what we might do to her if we ever found out?

"You see? I was right all along!" said Shuku with superiority, "But I will let you off Simba, for your mistakes. She even had _me_ fooled for brief moment!"


	31. Wrong All Along

In that moment, I can tell you, that Shuku's innocence didn't seem in the slightest bit improbable. I guess it's what they call the spur of the moment – sometimes the mind just abandons logic for a split second, you let down your guard, and it all falls apart. Whether Shuku ever sensed at that moment that my guard was down, however, I never found out and before she could really push the point, she was stopped in her tracks. Why? Well…

I stared back at Shuku, wondering. Could it have been Usiku? She looked at me, a gleam in her eye suggesting she had won some kind of mental battle over me. My mind raced, but my eye caught something up one of the sides of the valley where we had met. I focused upon it, as it came slinking down the side. I couldn't quite tell who it was. Could it have been a River Pride lioness, coming to offer her support for Shuku? Could it be a rebel to do the same? Could it be one of my own lionesses coming to offer her support?

Surely it wasn't…

The figure reached the floor and stood, slightly to one side, between us. It spoke.

"You are filth," it announced, "you _dare _to accuse me? To suggest I would sink to that level? To serve the tyrant who killed my beautiful cub? You suggest that?!"

It was Usiku. She looked thinner than I remember, more run down, but more angry than I had ever seen her. She faced away from me, toward Shuku, seething. I stood dumbfounded, listening to her. Shuku herself suddenly looked rather worried.

"But Usiku," she said, "you are guilty are you not?! You've come back here to boast to this trusting fool, isn't that right? There was a plan all along, between you and Jimbala, and he's on his way now!"

Usiku turned to look at me, as if in frustration at Shuku's insistence. But all of a sudden I was convinced. I stared back into the eyes of this cold, ruthless killer, she who had befriended the pride in order to stab us in the back, and felt no compassion. Her facial expression changed to one of horror. She then shook her head, but didn't say a word, and turned away to face Shuku.

"You try and accuse me of killing a cub born of my best friend? Of the one person in the entire savannah who means the most to me? You think I would do such a thing? You dare even to suggest it?!"  
Shuku opened her mouth silently. No words came out.

"You are a nasty, manipulative… hyena! You are unworthy of any respect, and now you try and turn Simba against me! Well, let me enlighten you, Simba," she said angrily, turning back to face me, "about what this so-called loyal member is playing at. What evidence has she for accusing me?"

"There was an insider in the Pridelands, helping the Riverlanders. If not you, then how could Shuku have got to know them well enough to work for them?"

"How? That I don't know, but have my tales of what Jimbala has done not been enough to convince you that I have no loyalty to the River Pride?!"

"I… Tanabi said he saw a lion who…"

"Yeah. He saw Shuku. That's what you thought at first, wasn't it? Why do you doubt that now?"

By then, I simply didn't have a clue what to think. Any doubts that I had had of Usiku had been crushed because somehow what she said seemed much more logical than what Shuku tried to claim.

"I do not doubt that."

Shuku's jaw dropped and she started to mouth something, but no words came out. Still she would not admit to her guilt.

Usiku looked back towards Shuku and slowly advanced toward her.

But I couldn't let Usiku extract any form of revenge yet. First, I had to understand.

"Usiku?" I asked. She stopped dead in her tracks, not removing her gaze from Shuku.

"Yes, King Simba?"

"Will you step down? Before you are able to punish Shuku for what you say she has done, do you not think it would be better for us to hear her story first?"

"I do not see that she deserves it," she replied, bitterly.

"Please?" I asked, with respect.

She turned her head and looked at me quietly. Time stood for a second or two. "Yes," she said, simply, and stepped back aside.

I nodded to her in thanks. It was a tender moment where we both realised in our own way the journey in which we had come through, and had a respect for each other that went far beyond words.

"So, Shuku," I began, "Do you have some explaining to do?"

"Well, I see no reason to justify my actions…" she said, firmly.

"Why is that?"

"If I do not agree with this Pride's ideals, should I not be entitled to disagree and act of my own accord otherwise?"

"Yes, to a degree. But we are not talking of minor disagreements here. We are talking of the death of a young cub. An innocent cub, Shuku. Tell me, what possesses someone to kill one?"

She hesitated from a moment, before I heard a rustling from round the corner. A male voice spoke as another lion, with a bushy, golden mane stepped round to face Usiku and I. "Oh, I wouldn't want her to take all the credit," it said.


	32. Face Of Evil

I surveyed the lion with immense distaste. "Jimbala," I said to him, disgust not very well hidden.

"Simba, old enemy!" he said with mock joviality. I already disliked this lion, and not just from knowing how he had acted in the past. Usiku growled warningly to my right, as Jimbala sat next to Shuku. "Greetings dearie," he said to her, "my, we still haven't learned to control that _free spirit_ have we?!" He then turned to Shuku. And how are you love?"

My jaw very nearly dropped wide open. All along, a former member of my Pride, had been… With this, this…

Amidst all the mock hatred shown between the two prides, all along these two had been secretly lovers? I didn't know what to say. I looked at Usiku, and, though she didn't show quite the same shock as I did, I could tell she was surprised.

"Difficult to understand, isn't it?" began Jimbala, "about why we would do this."

I didn't answer, and he didn't continue. Silence reigned for a few long seconds, before I plucked up the courage to say something.

"What I find more difficult to understand, is what pleasure you take out of killing lion cubs."

He looked at me murderously. Though he himself was a very old lion; at least twice my age, he was physically huge, and very intimidating. His wild mane only accentuated that image.

He didn't answer the question, no doubt because he had no real answer to it. But he had things to say nonetheless.

"You know there is no secret to my actions," he said. "We don't get on, and we rather regret that you Pridelanders feel you're better than us. So naturally, we have to keep reminding you that we're here…"

"That holds no weight with me," I replied. "So you want our land? I thought we'd arranged something about that ages ago. We gave you extra land to live off. What else would you have us sacrifice?"

"Oh, I appreciate that land. It's mighty useless, mind, no herds ever go near it" he said. "No, what I really object to is the fact that you still seem to need us, yet don't allow us any respect for our efforts."

"I don't follow."

"No? How shall I put it? Let's just say… you, Simba, are married to a product of my pride." He grinned wickedly, at what he supposed was a new and shocking revelation.

I didn't flinch. Obviously, I already knew this, so his attempted shock tactics on this count didn't seem to have worked. He hadn't been expecting that.

"Do you not understand? Related to my pride?! Whatever will everyone say?" He grinned again, sure that I'd be shocked into submission this time. I wasn't about to let him have that pleasure though…

"They won't mind too much, they all know already," I lied, hoping that word wouldn't get out.

"Really?" asked Jimbala, to Shuku, surprised. She gave a non-committal grunt, suggesting that she wasn't sure.

"Minor details anyway," said Jimbala, trying to get back on top of the situation. There was another small silence, before Usiku, of all people spoke up.

"What exactly is it you want here anyway?"

Jimbala surveyed her with distaste, "What's it to you, you meddlesome, irritating filth?"

I roared at him in anger. He looked up at me.

"Shuku was right, you do have a terrible temper, Simba!"

I narrowed my eyes at him. Around in my head, I'd been wondering what to do and whether to try and find out about the motives of this cruel King. But now I'd made my mind up. The truth was, I just didn't care. I wanted him away and out, and Shuku with him.

"Get out," I said quietly.

He laughed. "Out? Oh, that is something I don't intend doing. You see, Simba… Why I'm really here is to take your place as King. I thought killing your cub would be a warning b…"

"My cub?"

"Yes… your cub."

"My cub is not dead."

"Yes he is… isn't he?" he looked at Shuku for guidance. She said nothing.

"You lied to me?!" he screamed, "you told me the future King was dead!"

"I thought it'd make you happy," she cowered, into a heap on the floor.

"Useless!," he shouted, "I thought you were competent!"

"But…"

"Never mind. You are no longer useful anyway. You may leave."

"What?"

"I said, you may leave. I don't want you as my Queen, oh no. You were merely a pawn in my gaining power! Foolish girl, you didn't seriously believe I'd want a Pridelander as my Queen did you?! Ha, ha!"

Shuku looked downtrodden. I was unsure whether to care or not. In order to delay Jimbala though, I asked him another question, "How long has this been going on? You and her?"

He thought for a moment. "Long enough," he answered, if you considered that an answer.

"Now," he began, "Do I have to fight you, or are you going to step down?"

"He's not going to step down!" came a voice from up above the ridge. It was Sarafina.

"Oh, more difficulties," said Jimbala exasperatedly. There was again a brief silence. Jimbala stared at Sarafina hard, and she back at him – it was like a reunion of hatred.


	33. Climax Of Hate

"Hang on, don't I recognise you?" he asked her.

"Oh, I don't know," she replied quietly, but angry. I know you weren't called Jimbala last time I saw you."

There was another moment of quiet again, as Jimbala turned her words over in his head. I understood however – here, of all lions, was my father in law.

It dawned on him. "Ah, I see… Dear Sarafina! Tell me, how is our daughter?" and he laughed again.

Sarafina was furious with him. "Don't you laugh you evil tyrant!"

"Oh, why ever not?!"

"It won't please the three of us who want you out of our lands," spoke up Usiku. I looked at her in amazement that she would actually come out and say such a thing.

"Four of us," came another voice. From next to Jimbala. It was Shuku. Nothing could have prepared me for that. Shuku also held a look of anger, or betrayal. Whatever it was, it was a strong emotion.

"Wha…" said Jimbala, looking round to see Shuku staring at him with distaste. "Oh, another dear traitor. How glorious!"

"You see?" I began, "you're not really welcome here. So, I recommend you leave, straight off, and don't bother us again. Live on your own land!"

Jimbala looked down at the floor, sighing. I stared at him from a little way away. Usiku was behind me on my left, and Sarafina on my right, both angry beyond measure. Jimbala was trapped between us, though I planned to let him escape past Shuku if he wanted. As I looked at him, thoughts flashed through my head of the things that he had done, of the pain he had caused. I didn't understand how a simple love of power could do this to someone, could drive them to killing innocent cubs, or tricking a loyal or loving lioness in spite.

Jimbala stayed still, staring at the floor. He began to speak slowly. "Well, if it is your majesty's wishes, I will go. But remember, our prides will never see eye to eye King Simba. I will be back, and next time you really had better worry."

"Not so," I replied, to his back as he began to skulk off, "you will never cross the border again."

He turned his head and narrowed his eyes at me, before walking past Shuku.

I should have seen it coming. He cuffed her hard around the face with his paw, claws out, and suddenly, the chance of a peaceful ending was gone. The two of them scrapped fiercely, Jimbala the stronger of the two, but both old, and weakening, so neither was the fighter they used to be. In the mêlée, a River Pride lioness had also turned up, no doubt keen to see how events were going. I recognised her from the border, and Usiku whispered in my ear. "_She_ killed Ella!" before whisking off into her path, and beginning an even more ferocious fight.

Sarafina looked at me in wonderment, before running to help the two Pridelanders. I was worried for the three's safety, and charged in myself, wondering why, despite my best efforts, it had to be solved like this.

By the time I'd pinned Jimbala to the ground, the other lioness had been subdued and was held under Usiku's weight. Jimbala was clearly in a lot of pain, injured as he was. Shuku was no better, having fought him so fiercely, she had taken a lot of blows and lost a lot of blood. I stood over Jimbala, baring my teeth.

"I said before. Leave."

"Never without a fight!"

"You're in no fit state. Go, and I will show mercy."

Subdued, he didn't answer, knowing that I was right – that being fitter and younger I was more than capable of beating him in a fight, despite his larger size. I stepped off him and he stood up and turned.

"Don't let him go!" screeched Shuku in distress, and she made a final move for him, charging into him whereupon he cracked his head against a rock on the floor, and lay motionless. Shuku was sprawled on the floor next to him.

I rushed up to her, she was still alive – just.

She looked at me, "I'm sorry, King Simba. I was wrong. Forgive me for my sins, and please don't ask me to explain why. Remember me as I was, Simba. A good, devoted lioness to your father. I was led astray and now I have paid for it. I regret it all from the bottom of my heart. Forgive me, and let me be."

"I will forgive you, and keep questions to a minimum, Shuku. But please tell me just one thing. What started all this off?"

She was about to answer, but she groaned in pain, and breathed her last, rolling onto her back. Her underbelly had been ripped out by one of Jimbala's hind claws, and I bowed my head as I stood over the two of them, bemoaning the fact that I had only managed to fuel hatred and cause more bloodshed. Where my grandfather had succeeded in quelling the antagonism between the two Prides, here I was, but I had a dead member from each Pride on my hands. How did that live up to Ahadi or even Mufasa?

Usiku stood opposite me. "Do not be troubled, Simba… The two of them will be better in their death, for their life would have been nothing but pain from this point on."

"You are right," I said, "but what of the rest of the River Pride? Will they not want revenge for the death of their King?"

"They will not. I heard things in my time there – many of them crave peace, despite how they hate the Pridelanders. With this tyrant's death comes a new opportunity for them. Leave them be, and I believe they will do the same for you."

I nodded. "So it shall be," and turned to the other lioness from the River Pride who stood a way away, cowering.

"Riverlander, what is your name?"

She squeaked an answer, "Chunta."

"Chunta, you will return to your Pride, and you will inform them of what has happened. And you will not seek revenge or bloodshed. I am told you crave peace, and I will give it to you, if you give it to us."

"I agree, King Simba, on behalf of my pride."

"Is it true the herds do not use the land we gave you in the past?"

"No, King Simba, that is a lie. Those lands are plentiful."

"Good," I replied, "Now go and make haste. See to it that I do not see your Pride again."

"You are noble, King Simba," she replied, before bowing and heading off.

I looked around, and Sarafina nodded at me, before making her way out of the small valley and presumably back to Pride Rock. She had settled her demons, and could now live out the rest of her days peacefully, amongst all her old Pride sisters. I was pleased for her – the burden must have been difficult to bear for her whole life, and now, only now was it gone. She disappeared from sight. That left Usiku and I alone.

In our previous respectful moment, I had known that it had taken a lot for her to return to the Pridelands. Facing up to the past was difficult, I knew that, and I held a lot of respect for her for returning. Even more so because for a brief moment I had not trusted her, which was fully wrong of me. I gave an amused smile, before joking, "I asked you to return when things got better, not to help them get better!"

She laughed.

"How is Mtifu?" she asked, clearly worried.

"She misses you terribly," I replied, truthfully, "Things will be fine."

"I hope so."

We stood in silence for a couple of seconds.

"Are you here to stay, Usiku?"

She looked up, "If the pride will have me? Yes, for good."

I smiled at her, and I was pleased she had found her place at last.

She gestured to me to lead the way out of the small valley, and I clambered up the side, before waiting for her at the top.


	34. Everything's Alright

We returned to Pride Rock together, and Tanabi came running down to meet us.

"Wow, Auntie Usiku! I'm glad you're back!"

"Me too, Tani," she replied, smiling.

"Where'd you go?"

"Uh, maybe I'll tell you another time."

"OK, sure!"

As we approached the rocks, Nala and Mtifu came down to meet us as well. Usiku looked at Mtifu, and her eyes were touched with sadness. But Mtifu was notoriously good natured, and, she didn't lose friends that easy. She went up to Usiku and licked her on the cheek in a loving gesture, before the two of them headed up to the cave together. Sava and Tani ran off to play with a few of the other cubs, and I was left with Nala.

"Hey," I smiled at her.

"What's up?" she laughed happily.

"Just a small problem, it's all over now."

"Oh, I am glad," she laughed again.

"Everyone seems happy again. The Pride's back together, the River Pride are miles away, and Usiku's back. They won't have a problem with her."

"No, you did a good job Simba."

I nuzzled her and we sat together for a few short seconds looking out across the grasslands at the cubs playing.

"Fancy going for a walk?"

"I'd love to."

We set off, in silence, though it wasn't an unhappy silence, more a relieved one. We were both happy just to wallow in our own thoughts for now, and contemplate what the future might bring…

"YEEOOWW!!" I heard.

I'd accidentally stepped on a tail which was draped across my path.

An animal jumped up across my vision. It looked distinctly like a meerkat…

He stopped and looked at me, not realising who I was, "That hurt you stupid… Hey Simba! How are you?"

"Fine," I replied, incredulously. "What were you doing down there?"

He put on hand to his mouth in a 'whispering' gesture before saying "Lying low, Simba. Can we come out yet?"

I laughed at their inability to understand my metaphor.

"Yeah, c'mon guys, out you come."

"All right!" shouted Pumbaa, appearing from a little way off. "I thought I was going to have to stay crouched forever. It's hell on the knees, don't ya know?"

"I, er – no, I didn't!"

"Yep. It's hot down there too. Difficult to move. I hope you never make us lie low again Simba."

"I'll try and make sure it never hap…"

"C'mon, quit talking," interrupted Timon, "me and Pumbaa need to go get some grub. See you around Simba ol' pal!"

I laughed as they headed off stiffly into the distance towards their favourite 'grub' location, before continuing my walk with Nala.

We went off together, towards the waterhole. I told her all about what had happened, with the River Pride, and Jimbala, Shuku, Usiku and her mother, and she was shocked and pleased in equal measure by the end.

"It must have been tough for you," she said thoughtfully, pawing the water as we lay at the side.

"Well," I thought about it for a moment, "Yes, but I knew it would be all right really."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, I just remembered what Rafiki said."

"What was that?"

"Have faith in yourself, and everything will be alright."

The End

A/N: Hope you all enjoyed it, wasn't too long etc. I've no plans to write another one, but i've had a few ideas, so never say never ;) Anyone's welcome to use any of my original characters by the way, but it'd be appreciated if you'd let me know, cos I'd be interested to see what you'd do with them.

Ta!


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